In Memoriam: Sister Miriam Mashank, OSB
January 18, 1931 - July 28, 2024
Our sister, Miriam, an extraordinary woman,
now rests in your arms, O God.
Of humble immigrant roots, no stranger to hardship
yet nurtured in love and faith,
Miriam grew into a woman of courage and empathy
who made dreams come true.
When circumstances showed her your invisible poor,
You, O God, compelled Miriam
to work for their wellbeing.
She led with her heart, carrying the struggle
for social and economic justice from
the streets of Erie to the halls of government.
Miriam showed us how to make a difference
through passionate, well-informed advocacy.
We ask, O God, that we may follow
her grace-filled, prayerful example so that we, too,
may fight the good fight until our last breath.
Amen
Sister Miriam Mashank, OSB, 93, died on July 28, 2024, at Mount St. Benedict Monastery in Erie. She was born January 18, 1931, in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and baptized at St. Joseph Church in Sharon. Her parents were Pauline (Miller) Mashank and George Mashank. Sister Miriam graduated from Sharon High School in 1949 and entered the Benedictine Sisters of Erie that fall. She made her perpetual monastic profession on August 12, 1954.
Sister Miriam began teaching at St. Gregory School in North East, Pennsylvania. She then taught at St. Mary School, Erie, before moving to Oil City where she taught at St. Joseph and St. Stephen Schools. Later she returned to Erie to St. Benedict Academy and then back to Oil City where she taught at Venango Catholic High School until 1970.
While teaching, Sister Miriam earned a Bachelor’s degree in biology and mathematics in 1962 from Mercyhurst College (now University). In 1971 she completed an M.Ed. in counseling at Boston University.
In 1972 Sister Miriam became Director of Residence Life and Personal Counseling at Mercyhurst College, a position she held for six years. She then became Director of Developmental Education followed by Director of Freshmen Studies. In 1983 she left Mercyhurst to become Director of Development for the Benedictine Sisters until 1991. In 1989 she founded and then became the executive director of St. Benedict Education Center (SBEC), turning the now-empty St. Benedict Academy building into a home for multiple programs offering education, job skills training, and other services to the poor. Under Sister Miriam’s leadership, SBEC became the management agency for the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare’s employment and training programs covering six counties. Year after year Sister Miriam, SBEC, and program participants won multiple Governor’s Achievement Awards from the Pennsylvania State Department of Labor and Industry. Sister Miriam excelled at negotiating funding for SBEC programs and was well-known in various state government offices in Harrisburg. She retired in 2011.
Sister Miriam was asked to serve the Erie community in many ways including as a member of the Erie County Housing Authority, Redevelopment Authority, Drug and Alcohol Commission, and the Equity Council. She was also recognized for her vision and leadership on behalf of Erie’s poor. In 1995 the Women’s Club of Erie named her their Woman of the Year. She was one of the Mercy Center for Women’s Women Making History in 2001, was listed in Who’s Who Among American Women, and was a recipient of the Papal Cross.
The Benedictine Sisters of Erie also called Sister Miriam to leadership: she served a total of 24 years on the Monastic Council with three different prioresses. One of her most personally rewarding achievements was serving as general business manager for Sisters ’66, the musical revue/major community fundraiser that involved more than 60 sisters performing throughout the area and culminating in an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Sister Miriam was proceeded in death by her parents, Pauline and George Mashank, and by her brother Greg. She is survived by cousins and her Benedictine Community.
Services will take place at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery: Tuesday, July 30, Visitation from 2:00-5:00 p.m. and a Service of Memories at 7:00 p.m.; Wednesday, July 31, Visitation from 2:00-5:00 p.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial at 5:30 p.m. Interment will be Thursday, August 1, at 8:30 a.m. at Trinity Cemetery. Brugger Funeral Homes and Crematory, Pine Avenue Branch, 845 East 38th Street, is handling arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, 6101 East Lake Road, Erie, Pennsylvania, 16511, click here.
