Sister Agnes Mary Joy, M.M., Maryknoll Sister for 66 Years Dies


Maryknoll, NY: Sister Agnes Mary Joy, M.M. died on August 13th, 2020 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll. NY. She was 89 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 66 years! Agnes was born on June 10th, 1931 in Newburgh, NY to Louise McLaughlin Joy and Edward Joy. She had one sister, Mrs. Jane L. Larkin, who pre-deceased her.

In 1949, she graduated from Mount St. Mary High School in Newburgh, NY. She then attended the College of St. Rose in Albany, NY where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Philosophy in 1953. Agnes then continued her education and earned a Master’s Degree in History at the Catholic University of America in 1955.

After completing her studies, she entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate, Maryknoll, NY on September 2nd, 1954 (from St. Mary Parish, Newburgh, NY). She made her First Profession of Vows at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY on March 7th, 1957 and her Final Vows on March 7th, 1963 in Puerto Armuelles, Panama.

In 1957, after making her First Vows, Sister Agnes was assigned to teach at Colegio San Antonio High School in Puerto Armuelles, Panama. After a few years, in 1963 she relocated to Puebla, Mexico. There, she served as Director of the Jesuit Elementary School until 1967 when she was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Valley Park, MO. She then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY in 1969 to serve as Assistant Director of the Formal Education Department and to serve on the Orientation Team until 1973.

Sister Agnes relocated to Houston, TX in 1973 to serve as Chaplain Intern for the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Ben Taub Medical Center (located within the Texas Medical Center). In 1979, she was promoted to Supervisor of the Clinical Pastoral Education Program and also served as Director of Chaplains for the hospital for the next 31 years.

Sister Agnes then retired, but remained an active volunteer with the Texas Medical Center. From 2006-2014, she spent her time researching and writing the 60 Year history of Chaplaincy Departments, Prayers, and Pastoral Care in the Hospitals, Clinics, and Health-Care Institution of the Texas Medical Center.

In 2015, Sister Agnes returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY to fully retire.

Funeral Services: Sister Agnes’s body was interred in the Maryknoll Sisters cemetery on Tuesday, August 18th.  Memorial Services are currently pending.