Submitted by: Dan Rich

Sister M. Clotile Gaffney CSC

Oct. 27, 1897 - March 25, 2000

South Bend Tribune 3/27/2000

Sister M. Clotile (Monica Elizabeth Gaffney), CSC, 102, died on Saturday, March 25, in Saint Mary's Convent, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame, Ind. Sister M. Clotile (Monica Elizabeth Gaffney) was born on Oct. 27, 1897, to the late James O. Gaffney and Agnes Coulihan Gaffney in Cumberland, Md. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross at Saint Mary's, Notre Dame, on Feb. 1, 1921, from Washington, D.C., and made her final profession in the Congregation on Aug. 15, 1926.

Sister M. Clotile did government work before entering Holy Cross. She then trained to teach and was a secondary school teacher from 1922 until 1975. Sister taught in Morris, Ill., at St. Angela Academy 1922 to 1928, Iowa, Nebraska; teacher at Saint Cecilia's Academy, 1932 to 1944, and teacher and principal at Saint Paul's High School, 1944 to 1950, both in Washington, D.C. Sister taught and was assistant principal at Catholic High School, Norfolk, Va., 1950 to 1955, then teacher and principal at Saint Mary's Academy, Alexandria, and O'Connell High School, Arlington, Va., and Holy Cross High School, Austin, Texas. Sister taught for a year at Academy of the Holy Cross, Kensington, Md. Along the way, Sister Clotile earned her master's degree from Catholic University in Education and Latin, with a minor in Greek. She was assigned to teach at Dunbarton College of Holy Cross, Washington, D.C., and Cardinal Cushing College, Brookline, Mass. Sister continued in the secondary schools in other capacities until asked to be part of the Regional Team in Silver Spring, Md., 1976. In 1978 Sister returned to Saint Mary's and was active in ancillary services until she moved into Saint Mary's Convent where she was part of the Ministry of Prayer group until her death.

Sister M. Clotile is survived by a sister, Sister M. Monica Clare, Saint Mary's Convent, and by a nephew, Gerald Shannon, Falls Church, Va.

Wake service will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 27, in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Saint Mary's. Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 28, in the Church of Our Lady of Loretto, Saint Mary's, followed by interment at Queen of Peace Cemetery, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Cross Ministry with the Poor Fund, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame, IN 46556. The Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling arrangements.