Sr. Margaret Marie Berarducci, SA

September 17, 1927 - March 17, 2021

Sister Margaret Marie (Irene Rose) Berarducci, age 93, a Franciscan Sister of the Atonement from Graymoor, entered into the Kingdom of God’s Glory on Wednesday, March 17, 2021 (St. Patrick’s Day) in the Lurana Healthcare Residence at St. Francis Convent. Born on September 17, 1927 in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada to Caterina (Bafaro) and Christopher Berarducci, Sister was third of six children. Besides her parents, Sister is predeceased by one brother, Anthony and three sisters, Norma Cline, Philomena Devlin and Sr. Vincent Marie Berarducci, also a Franciscan Sister of the Atonement who died in October 2002. She is survived by one brother, Joseph Berarducci of Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. In 1943, the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement opened a mission in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada and four Sisters were sent to the new site to work in the parish and be present to the people. Irene and her sister, Idele (later, Sr. Vincent Marie) were in their early teens when they met the Sisters. Margaret Marie noted in her biography, “There wasn’t that much for young people to do at that time; a great deal of time was spent at the church helping the Sisters and do whatever was necessary. We were also called upon at times to show the Sisters where different people lived. We enjoyed doing whatever was needed. We also had the Sisters for religious instruction. We had many happy times which included going for sleigh rides drawn by horses in the winter, hikes, picnics and summer mountain climbing excursions. After seeing all that the Sisters did, it was something we really admired. This, I believe, helped in making a decision for our vocation in life. My final decision came on Sunday, April 25 ~ I was in the choir waiting for Benediction to begin when I heard out of the blue, “and when are you going to go?” Irene entered the Community as a Postulant on September 25, 1948, and became a Novice on May 16, 1949. She was then referred to as Sr. Margaret Marie, and on May 18, 1950, she professed her first vows; and professed her perpetual vows on August 27, 1955. As an Atonement missionary for 70 years, Sr. Margaret Marie served in parish, catechetical, pastoral and guesthouse ministries. She ministered in British Columbia, Canada (Burnaby, Cranbrook, Revelstoke and Vancouver), Alberta, Canada (Edmonton), and Italy (Assisi). Sister also ministered in the United States in various parishes within New York (Adams, Crown Point, Schenectady, Scotia and New York City), returning to live at Graymoor in September 2002. Services will be private due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the: Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement, 41 Old Highland Turnpike, Garrison, New York 10524 (USA). Burial will be held in the Sisters’ Cemetery at Graymoor. Funeral arrangements by Dorsey-Carlone Funeral Home.