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Sister Catherine (Cathy) Leamy, SNJM
Sister James of the Eucharist
August 7, 1940 – April 24, 2026
Sister Catherine (Cathy) Leamy, SNJM departed this life on April 24, 2026 in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Sister Cathy celebrated 85 years of life and 67 years of her religious profession.
A Mass of Resurrection will be held on Thursday, June 4, 2026, in the Chapel of the Holy Names in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
A Celebration of Life will take place in Windsor, Ontario on Friday, June 26, 2026, followed by her burial at Heavenly Rest Cemetery in Windsor, Ontario.
Sister Catherine Leamy, SNJM
Sister James of the Eucharist
August 7, 1940 – April 24, 2026
Sister Catherine “Cathy” Leamy, SNJM, 85, died April 24 at Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The Mass of Resurrection is Thursday, June 4, 11 am, Chapel of the Holy Names, Marylhurst, Oregon. A Celebration of Life will take place in Windsor, Ontario, Canada on Friday, June 26, 2026, followed by Cathy’s burial at Heavenly Rest Cemetery in Windsor.
The daughter of James and Mary (Kiely) Leamy, Cathy was born in Chicago, the youngest of three girls, Peggy, Rosemary and Cathy. Her parents were from Ireland, her Mom from County Clare and her Dad from County Cork. They met in Chicago after immigrating to the United States as adults. The Leamy home was near St. John’s parish church and school where the girls received their elementary education from the Sisters of the Holy Names.
Cathy’s later education took place at St. Mary’s Academy, Windsor, where Cathy was a boarder. When she was to be an eighth grader, a close friend was going to be leaving St. John’s because of her parents’ divorce. The plan was that Cathy’s friend would transfer as a boarder to St. Mary’s, a school also operated by the Holy Names Sisters. Cathy decided her friend should not go alone and consequently worked on her parents until they agreed to send her, too. Her girlfriend’s parents, however, later chose to send her to an Illinois school. Despite this, Cathy transferred to St. Mary’s anyway and continued there until she graduated in 1957.
Cathy, who had an increasing desire to be a Sister, entered after graduating. Having gone to school in Windsor, she entered from Ontario which meant making her novitiate in Montreal where the Canadian motherhouse was located. She was one of seven from St. Mary’s and one of six English-speakers among thirty-three French-speaking entrants.
After finishing her two-year novitiate and having received the religious name Sister M. James of the Eucharist, Cathy returned to Ontario to begin her ministry as an elementary teacher. The SNJM Ontario province straddled the US-Canada border and Cathy’s school assignments were at St. Gabriel’s, Detroit, and St. John’s, Chicago. Cathy had a big heart for working with students and families in the inner-city and brought a perfect blend of high expectations, clear boundaries, humor and gentleness to her ministry as a teacher.
On leaving the classroom, Cathy took time to finish a master’s in theology at St. John’s University, Collegeville, Michigan, after which she began director of religious education at All Saints Parish, Frasier, Michigan, a Detroit suburb, and as a pastoral minister at St. Gregory’s in inner-city Detroit. While she was working at St. Gregory’s, Cathy was tapped to serve on the Ontario Province leadership team and for six years worked half time in the parish and half time for the province.
On completing her term in leadership, Cathy felt a call to join other SNJMs in Mississippi walking with the people of the Delta. She served both as a pastoral minister at Sacred Heart Parish in Rosedale, Mississippi, and as a chaplain at Parchman State Prison, a working farm that in the 1990s had a population of 6,000 men.
In 2010 after 15 years in Mississippi and ready for a slower pace, Cathy returned to Chicago to be closer to her family. Looking for ways to be of service she connected with a network of women religious and partners who supported immigrants at the local detention center. She was a founding member of the Mercy Housing Community where she lived, helping to create supportive community for her neighbors.
When her health began to decline, Cathy made the decision to move to Oregon so she could be near other SNJMs and receive support from the Holy Names Health and Well-Being Team. At Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst she engaged in multiple activities and became a friend to many Sisters, residents and staff members. Throughout her life, Cathy remained deeply connected to the Sisters in Windsor.
We remember Cathy’s sense of humor, her love of stories and her gentle smile. We remember her passion for justice, concern for all creation and her presence on countless Zooms. She lived simply and shared freely. We remember her devotion to her family, friends and to those with whom she worked over the years. Cathy was a positive presence in our world and brought out the best in others. We remember her for her dedication to the SNJM congregation, to our loving God and to God’s people.
A Holy Names Sister for 66 years, Cathy is survived by her nieces and nephews and the members of her religious community. Remembrances may be made to Sisters of the Holy Names, PO Box 398, Marylhurst, OR 97036 or online at www.snjmusontario.org/donate.