Sr. Kathryn Lawrence McGuiggan

Dear alumni, families, and friends,

It is with deep regret and profound sadness that we write to inform you of the passing of Sr. Kathryn Lawrence McGuiggan, SNDdeN. Sister Kathryn was an important member of the NDA family and will be sorely missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Sister Kathryn’s work in the field of education spanned fifty years. She dedicated more than thirty of those years to the Academy of Notre Dame. She served the Academy from 1969 to 1974 as an English teacher, guidance counselor, and mentor. In 1980, Sister Kathryn returned to the Academy as CEO/President, a role which she held for more than twenty-five years.

The Academy witnessed great growth during her tenure, including enhanced academics, the addition of athletic teams, and improvements to the campus. When Sister Kathryn came back to NDA in 1980, the only interscholastic sport was basketball. She was an avid sports fan and under her leadership, NDA added numerous varsity, jv, and middle school teams. The Academy also fundraised to build tennis courts and an athletic facility that still bears Sister Kathryn's name, which features a track, soccer field, and softball field. In 2009, Sr. Kathryn was inducted into the Academy’s Athletic Hall of Fame as a “Special Contributor” for all she had done for athletics at NDA.

Until recently, Sr. Kathryn served as moderator of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. In 2015, the Alumni Association created the Sister Kathryn McGuiggan Service Award, which we plan to present in the Spring of 2022. If you would like to nominate a community member for Sister Kathryn’s award, click here.

The Academy recently learned that a viewing and funeral service will be held next Thursday, December 9th at St. Mary's Church in Shrewsbury, MA beginning at 1 p.m.  We will post more information to our website and social media pages when it becomes available. If you’d like to send condolences to Sister Kathryn’s family, share a memory, or make a memorial donation in her honor, please click here.

At this difficult time, we find solace in the words of our foundress, St. Julie Billiart:

"Let us accept the sorrows which come to us from the hand of our good Father. Let us rest quietly in His will."

Rest in peace, dear Sister Kathryn.  

Sincerely,

Your friends at the Academy of Notre Dame