Sister Mary Jude Murray, R.S.M.

Biddeford - Sister Mary Jude (Arlene Theresa) Murray was a native of Bangor Maine, and the daughter of Peter and Clair Boyle Murray. She received her early education from St. John’s School and graduated from John Bapst High School. In 1950, she entered the Sisters of Mercy in Portland from St. John’s Parish in Bangor, Maine. Sister soon began her higher education at Our Lady of Mercy College (forerunner of St. Joseph’s College in Standish). Sister’s first years of ministry included teaching grades 6,7, and 8 in Portland, Biddeford, and Farmington. In 1959, she was appointed to Mercy Hospital and undertook studies at Bentley College, in Boston, MA graduating with honors earning a B.S. in Accounting. From 1961-1969, she was Chief Accountant and Assistant Comptroller at Mercy Hospital. She obtained her Master’s in business administration from Suffolk University in Boston, MA in 1972. Sister Mary Jude was appointed Administration Director and later, Vice-President and Chief Fiscal Officer at Mercy Hospital. She was the recipient of the William Fulmer Award in 1967 for “outstanding services” in the field of hospital accounting and finance by the Maine Chapter of Hospital Financial Management Association (HFMA) Sister was also a member of the State of Maine Committee on Uniform Accounting and secretary of the American Association of Hospital Accounting- Maine Chapter. After a distinguished eighteen-year career in finance, Sister was called to serve at St. Joseph’s College Department of Business where she became Department Chair advancing to Associate Professor. St. Mary Jude’s awards for excellence included Outstanding Faculty Award (three times) which was later renamed, “The Sister Mary Jude Award,” Dana Foundation Award, and Sears Award. In 1992, Sister was elected President of the Maine Association of Accounting Professors. Sister’s love of teaching is evidenced by her participation in all aspects of her professional career of twenty years. Sister Mary Jude offered her expertise in many committees within her Religious Community including Chapter Delegate, Congregational Finance Committee, the General Leadership of the Sisters of Mercy, as a trustee on the Boards of Mercy Hospital, St. Joseph’s College Board of Overseers, Treasurer of the Mercy Foundation, and for the Diocese of Portland as a member of the Finance Council. In her later years Sister was able to return to Mercy Hospital as a volunteer until 2000, when she resided at Frances Warde Convent and in 2021 moved to St. Joseph’s Convent in Biddeford, Maine. We are grateful for the wonderful care and expertise from the Sisters and staff at Frances Warde Convent, St. Joseph’s Convent and Beacon Hospice. With her celebration of 73 years as a Sister of Mercy, the zeal and excellence with which Sister Mary Jude has faithfully served is reflected in the simple words of her religious motto, “God Alone.” Visiting hours will be held from 3-5pm on Thursday, July 20, 2023, at the Conroy-Tully Walker South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, with a prayer service in the chapel at 5pm. The livestream of the prayer service can be found at www.facebook.com/ConroyTullyWalker. Prayers will be recited at the funeral home on Friday, July 21, 2023, at 10:15am, immediately followed by an 11AM Mass of Christian Burial at St. Pius X Church, with Principal Celebrant Bishop Deeley. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. The livestream of the Mass of Christian Burial can be found at https://ladyofhopemaine.org.