Obituary of Sister Mary Teresa MacIntosh

MacIntosh, Sister Mary Teresa, formerly Sister Mary Donald, 100, a Sister of St. Martha of Antigonish, died at Mary’s Place, Parkland Antigonish, on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 in the 66^th year of her Religious Life.

Born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Sister Mary was the daughter of Alexander Donald and Mary Viola (McManus) MacIntosh.

Sr. Mary entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Martha on February 15, 1955. She pronounced her first vows on February 15, 1957, and her perpetual vows on August 15,1960. Prior to her entering religious life, Sr. Mary was trained and worked as an RN for several years.  She studied at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, and McGill University in Montreal.  Her ministry continued after she entered, and she served as Director of the School of Nursing at St. Rita’s Hospital in Sydney, Cape Breton for several years. 

Sr. Mary was a gifted leader and she was called upon by the congregation to serve as Congregation Leader for two consecutive terms.  It was during her time in leadership that many of the changes that were brought forward by the second Vatican Council were being implemented.  A deeply prayerful woman, she moved into the ministry of Spiritual Direction in the early 1980’s, always studying, upgrading, and renewing her practice.  She served as director of Bethany Retreat Centre in Antigonish, and at Martha Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta.  Sr. Mary was a respected, wise, and generous Spiritual Director to many.  Her generous spirit of service was called upon in many different capacities within the congregation, including vocation education, director of the pre-novitiate process, and director of first commitment process. 

Sister Mary was the last surviving member of her immediate family.  Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Donald and Dr. Nadia MacIntosh. She will be greatly missed by her devoted nieces and their families. 

The remains will be resting at Martha Place, Parkland Antigonish, Friday, November 3, 2023, at 9:00 a.m., a Celebration of Vigil will be held at 11:00am in St. Martha Chapel, Parkland Antigonish. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will take place on the same day, November 3 at 1:45 p.m. in St. Martha Chapel.

Arrangements are under the direction of MacIsaac Funeral Home, Antigonish.