Mary Brady, RSCJ

Birth: April 4, 1926Profession: July 29, 1954Death: May 4, 2013

Religious of the Sacred Heart Mary Lamphier Brady, who revealed God’s love through her devoted service to families in need, died suddenly on Saturday, May 4. Recalled as full of generosity and gentleness, goodness and grace, Sister Brady will be celebrated in a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Friday, May 10th, at St. Francis of Assisi, South End Site, Albany. There will be a visitation period one hour before the service. Interment will be in the Kenwood Cemetery in Albany. A memorial service and sharing of memories will also be held Sunday, May 19, at 4:00 p.m. at St. Cecilia's Church, Main Street, Warrensburg, New York.

Born in Baltimore April 4, 1926, Sister Brady was the only child of Frank C. and Anna M. Brady, both deceased. She entered the Society of the Sacred Heart on September 8, 1946 and professed her final vows in Rome in July, 1954. In addition to scores of Religious of the Sacred Heart, she is survived by several cousins: Mrs. Calvin (Sally Brady) Jenkins, Baltimore; Sr. Catherine Brady, St. Louis; Philip Brady, Baltimore and Mrs. Donovan (Kate) Picard, Chevy Chase. She will be sadly missed by friends, colleagues and community members, whom she loved so much and so well.   

Sister Brady was a founding member of North Country Ministry, an outreach in Northern Warren County, New York, and served on the board for many years. A friend wrote, “Her dream came true when she was able to serve as the social worker for NCM, living in the North Country for eleven wonderful years. Mary was always ‘on the side of the poor,’ advocating, interceding, encouraging, consoling, and always listening. The Babies Play Group, Toddler Garden, and Baby's Place are all Mary's initiatives, going strong and expanding to this day. Nothing stopped Mary. She was always faithful to her God, her community, family, friends, and those whom she served. Mary was a "news hound." If you wanted to get her hackles up, all you had to do was start a political argument! Otherwise, there was no one more loved or loving in Northern Warren County than Sister Mary Brady.”

As a Religious of the Sacred Heart, Sister Brady was drawn to the suffering in the world and called to address the needs of children, women and the marginalized. Though a social worker at heart, her ministry began in the classrooms of the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, her alma mater, in 1950. She also taught in the Sacred Heart schools in New York City, Grosse Pointe, Michigan; and Albany. From 1971-74, she facilitated the educational and ministry placements of Religious of the Sacred Heart for the New York Province.

In 1976, she began her social service ministry as an outreach worker for Buffalo Catholic Charities. After earning a Master’s degree in social work in 1979, she joined St. John’s Center, in Albany, then served as a clinical social worker at the Northeast Parent and Child Society of Schenectady, New York for eight years. She served as a family support worker for the Catholic Family and Community Services of Schenectady, 1988-98, then spent two years as a family support worker at Healthy Schenectady Families. From 2000-2011, she served at North Country Ministry as social worker and director of Baby’s Place. In each of these positions, she worked to strengthen families and protect children through parenting education, advocacy and emotional support.

She began a ministry of prayer and community service in 2011.

One close friend of Sister Brady wrote, “I am truly able to say that the world was a better and more loving place because our dear friend Mary was here.” Mary would have been humbled by that simple, loving tribute, but everyone who knew her knows it to be true.

Mary Brady, RSCJ, was the product of a Sacred Heart education. She graduated from Maplehurst Academy of the Sacred Heart (now Convent of the Sacred Heart) in Greenwich, Connecticut. She earned her bachelor of arts and a Master’s degree from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. Her Master’s degree in social work was from the University of Chicago.