Sr. Catherine Poirier, CSC

 Sr. Catherine Poirier, CSC, (Sr. Louis Armand), 92 years old and community member of the Sisters of Holy Cross, passed away on October 2, 2024. 

 She was born on April 21,1932 in Concord, NH, the daughter of Armand and Catherine Blanche (Auger) Poirier Valley. Sr. Catherine entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Holy Cross in 1950 and pronounced her final vows in 1957 in St-Laurent, Montreal. Sr. Catherine’s mantra, “Let go and let God”, led her to Vermont as a teacher, to the University of Oklahoma as a student, to Nashua, NH as a school principal and to Pittsfield, NH as Personnel Director for the Sisters of Holy Cross. 

 In addition to ministries in the United States, Sr. Catherine’s mantra, “Let Go and let God”, led her to Lima, Peru where she worked with the Fathers of Holy Cross with mentally and physically limited children and later to Santiago, Chile where she ministered with the Fathers of Holy Cross who worked with sexually abused and abandoned children. In Santiago, she also founded the Apostolate of the Rosary in the Family and became its National Director under the International Direction of Holy Cross Family Ministries.

 Upon her return to the States, at Infant Jesus Parish in Nashua, Sr. Catherine’s voice served well in the church choir. But she also visited and interpreted for patients in Nashua hospitals and ministered to the residents at Holy Cross Health Center and St. George Manor in Manchester, NH. Given her age, you might think this ended her career in volunteering, however, one more was looming, i.e., New Life Village in Tampa, FL where she spent seven years serving children and parents. 

 Sr. Catherine’s final “Let go and let God” began in the fall of 2023 when she was invited to join the Holy Cross Community at 357 Island Pond Road – the beginning of her “retirement”. Her final days were spent at the Holy Cross Health Center where she welcomed, supported and encouraged every member of the healthcare team, every Sister, every visitor. 

 Sr. Catherine was predeceased by her parents, her brother, Louis, her sister, Anne Therese Stroud and, most recently, her cousin, Sr. Eileen Auger, of the religious community of Holy Cross Sisters. Surviving members include her brother Armand and his wife, Ruth. She leaves behind nieces, nephews, and cousins.

 SERVICES: The Celebration of her life will be take place at St. George Manor, 357 Island Pond Rd., Manchester, NH on Tuesday, (10/15) from 2 to 4 p.m., with prayer at 3 p.m. The funeral Mass will be held in St. George Manor chapel on Wednesday, (10/16) at 9:00 a.m.

 In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sisters of Holy Cross, Development Office Fund and mailed to 367 Island Pond Road, Manchester, NH 03109.

Lambert Funeral Home and Crematory, Manchester, NH, is assisting with arrangements.