By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
ST. AUGUSTINE | Funeral services will take place March 26 and 27 for Sister Mary Agatha Cleare, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of St. Augustine who served as teacher and principal at St. Mary Cathedral School in Miami for many years.
Sister Agatha died March 23 at the age of 87, after 68 years in religious life.
Sister Mary Agatha Cleare: Born in St. Augustine, Florida, Aug. 27, 1929; entered religious life Feb. 11, 1949; died March 23, 2017.
Born Aug. 27, 1929 in St. Augustine, Florida, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph Feb. 11, 1949 and began teaching at St. Mary’s in 1950. Over the next nine years, she taught at Cathedral Parish School in St. Augustine, St. James School in Orlando, and St. Agnes School in St. Augustine.
From late 1959 to 1965, she served as principal of St. Juliana School in West Palm Beach, while also serving her Sisters as coordinator of the convent. During the following four years, she ministered at the Catholic Children's Home in Perrine, Christ the King School and St. Joseph's School in Jacksonville.
In 1969, Sister Agatha returned to her beloved St. Mary's School in Miami. She taught there until 1975 and served as principal from 1975 to 1984. Then she moved across town, and taught at St. Theresa School in Coral Gables for four years.
In 1988, she returned to St. Mary Cathedral School and taught fifth grade until 2002. It became her favorite grade level. Later that year she began ministry as a resource teacher until she was assigned to Our Lady of Lourdes Convent in St. Augustine.
Sister Agatha frequently entertained others in singing one of her favorite songs, "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning."
“This Sister of St. Joseph always tried to bring joy to ‘the Dear neighbor’ until the Lord called her to her eternal rest,” said Sister Jane Stoecker, general superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Funeral services will take place at the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph in St. Augustine, with a vigil Sunday, March 26 at 7 p.m. and a funeral Mass Monday, March 27 at 10 a.m.
Donations in her memory may be made to support the ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph, P.O. Box 3506, St. Augustine, FL 32085; or via this link.
