Sister Mary Patrick McCarthy Way
34th Avenue & 94th Street
Sister Mary Patrick McCarthy was a nun, educator and beloved member of the Jackson Heights community in Queens, New York. As a young girl, she attended Blessed Sacrament Church and School — the very same school she’d return to, decades later, as principal. During her 35 year tenure, Sister Mary led the school through changes big and small, welcoming and advocating for the neighborhood’s growing Hispanic community in the 1970s and 1980s.
Her brother John McCarthy and nephews Patrick and Michael McCarthy spoke with us about Sister Mary’s life of service. Here, Michael reflects on some of their final moments together.
Interview with Michael McCarthy, nephew of Sister Mary Patrick McCarthy
Read the full transcript.
Audio story, text and portrait of Michael, John and Patrick McCarthy by Sarah Luft
Street sign and neighborhood photographs by Joe Caffrey
Portraits of Sister Mary Patrick McCarthy provided by Patrick McCarthy
“Acoustic Guitar 1” music from Audionatix