Sister Mary Dugan, S.C.

Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Mary Dugan died Thursday, July 23, 2026, at the age of 83 at the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse. She was a Sister of Charity for 64 years. 

Sister Mary was born Oct. 11, 1942, to Joseph P. and Margaret (Fealy) Dugan in Chicago, Illinois. She was one of five children, with three sisters and one brother.

 Although born in Chicago, Sister Mary grew up in Dayton, Ohio, where she attended St. Joseph Grade School and graduated from St. Joseph Commercial High School in 1960. She was taught by the Sisters of Charity and also had family members who were connected to the Community. Her paternal aunt, Sister Agnes Regina Dugan, was a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, and her maternal great-aunt, Sister Eugenia Fealy, was a Daughter of Charity. With her family’s blessing, Sister Mary chose to enter the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati in September 1961.

Sister Mary earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the College of Mount St. Joseph in 1968 and a master’s degree in special education from the University of Cincinnati in 1973. She later earned a master’s degree in religious studies from the University of Detroit in Detroit, Michigan, in 1984.

Sister Mary’s years of active ministry spanned more than 55 years, serving primarily in Catholic dioceses across Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, New Mexico, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. She began her ministry in education in 1965 at St. Teresa School in Springfield, Ohio. The following year she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to teach at St. Mary School. In 1969, she taught at Loyola School in Denver, Colorado, before returning to Cincinnati in 1970 to teach at St. Rita School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

It was at St. Rita that she learned sign language from Sister Grace Bernadette Johnston, a gift she later described as “a life blessing indeed!” That experience shaped the direction of her ministry for decades to come.

In the fall of 1973, Sister Mary transitioned to parish ministry as coordinator of parish religious education, serving first at St. Joseph parish in Denver, followed by St. Louis parish in Denver (1974-’77) and St. Gerald in Farmington, Michigan, until 1978. In each of these ministries, she also provided outreach to deaf parishioners. These experiences inspired her to develop practical, creative approaches to catechetics for people who were deaf or hard of hearing. She was especially grateful for opportunities to train catechists in religious education for the deaf.

Later in 1978, Sister Mary returned to the classroom, teaching deaf students at Cooper School in Paducah, Kentucky. In 1982, she enrolled at the University of Detroit to pursue a master’s degree in religious studies with an emphasis on world religions.

After completing her degree, Sister Mary joined the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, as associate director of catechesis for the hearing impaired (1983-’85). In that role, she served as a diocesan resource for religious education of the deaf and authored Religious Education of the Deaf, Primary Book I, a catechetical resource that was used in her ministry. During this time, she also presented her thesis at the International Catholic Deaf Association Conference on “Deafness, Catechetics and the Third World” in Newark, New Jersey, attended by pastoral workers from five countries. Through her leadership and resource development, she was among the early pioneers in creating catechetical materials for people who were deaf and hard of hearing.

In 1985, Sister Mary returned to classroom ministry with students who were deaf and hard of hearing in Louisa, Kentucky. Four years later, she moved to Harlan, Kentucky, where she was hired through a federal program to train local educators to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Harlan County Schools. During her seven years there, she trained four teachers and four full-time instructional aides in sign language and deaf education. Sister Mary shared, “I am encouraged that the work will continue under the direction of local women. I believe that local people, persons who know the social and cultural settings in these former mining communities, are essential. Students in these impoverished areas have provided me with countless rewarding experiences. ”

When speaking about the legacy she and the Sisters of Charity left in Eastern Kentucky, Sister Mary also reflected on the legacy left to her. “The deaf Sisters in our Community have taught me so much. I worked with many of them at St. Rita School for the Deaf. We shared our learnings in several publications. We willingly carry on the Sisters’ traditional service to the deaf providing new resources for teachers and parents. Since only three percent of the population is deaf, we are serving this minority, reaching out to God’s people.”

In 1996, Sister Mary served at St. Mary parish in Aurora, Indiana, before returning to Kentucky in 1997 to teach students who were deaf and hard of hearing in Montgomery County Schools in Mount Sterling. Throughout her ministry, she demonstrated a remarkable attentiveness to where God was calling her to serve, trusting that her gifts would meet the needs before her. For her, listening was fundamental.

From 1998 to 2002, Sister Mary served as pastoral services coordinator for the Diocese of Lexington. She also completed studies at Eastern Kentucky University before becoming a First Steps service provider in Stanville, Kentucky, where she worked with families of children from birth to age 3 with developmental disabilities, including children who were deaf or hard of hearing. In her parish, she also assisted with multigenerational catechesis. Before retiring, Sister Mary taught the hearing impaired at Region 14/Hopewell Center in Hillsboro, Ohio, from 2005 to 2015. In 2013, she received the Exceptional Achievement Award from the Regional Advisory Council of Ohio and was recognized by the United States House of Representatives for “helping students, going above and beyond the call of duty for students of special needs.”

Following her retirement from classroom teaching, Sister Mary was invited to establish an office in the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse to support Sisters experiencing hearing loss. Drawing on her academic background and decades of experience, she helped Sisters advocate for their hearing needs, maintain their hearing aids, obtain warranties and insurance coverage, access assistive technology, and secure proper amplification. Her work enhanced not only their safety but also their social engagement and cognitive well-being.

After moving to the Motherhouse, Sister Mary enjoyed lively conversations, shared prayer and meals in the dining room. She found pleasure in gardening, walking the campus, and even the occasional boat ride. Faithful to her lifelong commitment to people with hearing loss, Sister Mary continued caring for her Sisters by tuning, refurbishing, and maintaining their hearing devices. She also believed that repairing and recycling hearing aids reflected her commitment to caring for Earth by extending the life of valuable resources. Sister Mary remained an active and caring presence in the Motherhouse community, living and ministering among her Sisters until her death.

Sister Mary is survived by her sisters, Margaret Sheppard, Teresa Frecker, Annie Pflaumer, as well as nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, Joseph Dugan.

 Sisters, family, and friends will greet visitors in the back of the Motherhouse Chapel from 9-10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in the Motherhouse Chapel. Sister Mary will be buried in the Sisters of Charity cemetery. 

Memorials can be made in Sister Mary Dugan’s name to the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Retirement Fund, 5900 Delhi Rd., Mount St. Joseph, Ohio 45051.