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Margaret O’Brien, SSJ
SisterBiography
Former Religious Name: Sister Mary Matthew
Home Parish: St. Joseph, Oil City, PA
Sister Margaret O’Brien, SSJ, a native of Oil City, Pennsylvania, entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Joseph Parish in Oil City on August 29, 1956, and professed final vows on August 15, 1964.
She graduated from St. Joseph High School in Oil City in 1956 and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Villa Maria College in Erie in 1968. She later earned a gerontology certificate from Gannon University in 1969, a reading specialist certificate from Edinboro University in 1971 and nurse aide certification from the American Red Cross in 1986.
In education, Sr. Margaret taught for 23 years in several Erie diocesan schools, including Blessed Sacrament, Villa Maria Elementary, Holy Rosary, and Our Lady of Peace schools in Erie from 1956 to 1974, as well as St. Francis in Clearfield, St. Bernard in Bradford, and St. Leo in Ridgway. She also served as convent superior in Bradford from 1974 to 1980.
Since 1986, Sr. Margaret has served at Saint Mary’s Home of Erie in a variety of roles, continuing a long ministry in healthcare and service. In 2014, she was honored with the Médaille d’Or Medal from the Saint Mary’s board and administration in recognition of her years of dedication. She will celebrate 30 years in healthcare service this year.
Throughout her ministry, Sr. Margaret has built relationships with residents and families who have been a source of inspiration to her. She continues to live out the charism of our congregation: “neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God.”
