Sister Mary Lorita Moffatt, RSM

October 9, 1940 - March 23, 2024

Sister Mary Lorita died, at the age of 83, on March 23, 2024, at Marian Oaks in Burlingame. The only child of John and Loretta Kealy Moffatt, Sheridan Loretta was born in San Francisco in 1940 and grew up in St. Gabriel’s Parish. She came to know the Sisters of Mercy both there and at Mercy High School, San Francisco. She entered the Community in 1958 and professed her vows in 1961, taking the name, Sister Mary Lorita.

She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Russell College in 1966, an MA in English at San Francisco College for Women in 1970, and an MA in Spirituality from University of South Florida, in 1982.

Her first four years of teaching were in elementary schools in San Francisco. Then she taught high school English and Religion in San Francisco and in Imperial Beach for ten years. While in Southern California, she began her involvement in direct spiritual and pastoral work that later became her primary ministry focus. She was director of the House of prayer in Chatsworth and served as a parish Religion Coordinator in Los Angeles and then as Pastoral Associate at St. Stephen’s Parish in San Francisco.

Sister Lorita served as Program Director at Mercy Center in Burlingame for 24 years, leading the staff in developing and providing retreats and programs to meet spiritual needs on many levels. She also educated new directors, many of whom have brought their learnings to other spirituality centers. During this time, she also served eight years as Co-Director of Mercy Associates.

Sister Lorita is remembered for her gifts of sensitive listening, friendship, and intuitive understanding of prayer and spirituality. The twinkle in her eyes bore witness to her centeredness in God and to her playful sense of humor.

She is survived by her half-brother, John Doughty; and her cousins, Bill Schaldach and Jaime Llewellyn; and her loving community of the Sisters of Mercy.

A vigil service will be held on Tuesday, April 9, at 3 p.m., at Marian Oaks 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on April 10, at 10:30 a.m., in the Mercy Convent Chapel, followed by burial at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma. Memorial gifts may be made to the Sisters of Mercy, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, Calif. 94010.