File 13 - Sister General Frances Coffey, Survey of community living, Summaries, correspondence

Born on 29 July 1931, daughter of John Leo Coffey and Josephine Quinlan in Toronto; Entered 26 July 1952; first Profession 2 February 1955; final Profession 15 August 1960, died 5 February 2020.

Born in Toronto, Frances, one of three children of John Leo Coffey and Josephine Quinlan, grew up in North Toronto and attended the local schools of St. Monica's separate school and Loretto Abbey under the Institute of the Blessed Virgin. Frances graduated from the University of Toronto in 1952 with a bachelor of arts degree. First impressed with seeing a Sister of Service sitting alone on a Toronto trolley, Frances learned more of the community when her older sister Joan entered in August 1949. Frances followed Joan’s path into religious life, entering on July 26, 1952, a few months after university graduation.

Upon professing first vows on February 2, 1955 in the Toronto novitiate chapel, Sister Coffey was assigned to the catechetical mission in Fargo, ND for six months. Returning to Toronto, she attended Monsignor Ronan’s summer school of liturgical music. Posted to the Edmonton catechetical mission (1955-1957), she taught catechism in local parishes while studying the new approaches to religious instruction. In the summer of 1956, Sisters Coffey and Agnes Dwyer attended and received certificates in the leadership course of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) offered at Catholic University, Washington, DC. Returning to Edmonton, she was enrolled at Edmonton teacher’s college (1956-1957), earning a teaching certificate. With the newly-minted qualifications, she briefly (May-June 1957) taught at Rosary School at Manning, Alberta, where she was reunited with her sister Joan, a teacher in that mission. She was transferred to nearby Rycroft, (1957-1962), where she taught Grades 10, 11, and 12, and completed a bachelor of education degree at the University of Alberta in 1958. At the final profession on August 15, 1960, paternal uncle Rev. Bernard Coffey, C.Ss.R. presided at the ceremony in the novitiate chapel.

With teaching and catechetical credentials, Sister Coffey was invited to the British Columbia Diocese of Nelson (1962-1967) by Bishop Emmett Doyle to establish the CCD office for religious education programs. During the first summers (1962-1965), she returned to Catholic University in pursuit of a masters of theology degree, which was completed in 1966. From these studies, she joined the faculty of education (1965-1967) at the University of Notre Dame in Nelson, teaching religious education to student teachers. Returning to Toronto, Sister Coffey accepted the position of Director of the Novitiate (1967-1978) following the changes of the Second Vatican Council and diminishing vocations. Under her direction, the SOS formation house/novitiate moved twice. The selling of the Glen Road novitiate prompted the move in October 1970 to the west end of Toronto at 303 Willard Avenue and later to the Motherhouse at 10 Montcrest Boulevard. During this time, Sister Coffey also assisted Redemptorist Rev. Edward Boyce, who conducted a sociological survey of the Sisters of Service in 1968. To implement the changes of the Second Vatican Council, she was appointed co-ordinator (1970-1975) of the catechetical program in the office of religious education in the archdiocese of Toronto.

In a new mission field, Sister Coffey started training in chaplaincy and was engaged in clinical pastoral education in February 1975, partially at the downtown Toronto hospitals of St. Michael’s and Toronto General and at the Queen Street Mental Health Centre. Sister Coffey joined the staff of Whitby Psychiatric Hospital as a duty chaplain (1978-1986). Leaving the chaplaincy when elected as Sister General in 1986, she served two four-year terms under which various initiatives were undertaken. Four missions were closed, including the early missions of Camp Morton and the Halifax women’s hostel while four missions were opened. The retired Sisters were moved from St. Catharines to a newly-built senior’s residence, Scarborough Court, in the east end of Toronto. A study of the SOS charism by Fr. John Manuel Lozano was followed by commissioning an authorized biography of foundress Catherine Donnelly. In 1989, the firm of Mackenzie Corp. was hired to manage the investments for the future financial security. After a sabbatical to study at Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley, California, Sister Coffey returned to Edmonton (1996-2008) and developed a ministry of spiritual direction and retreats. A team member of Providence Renewal Centre, she gave spiritual direction to individuals and in parishes.

Returning to the Toronto headquarters at 10 Montcrest Boulevard (2008-2011), she joined the retired Sisters at LaSalle Manor (2011-2016) and at Providence Centre in 2016. She died on February 5, 2020 with a Mass of Resurrection celebrated at the Sisters of St. Joseph chapel at 2 O’Connor, Toronto, and burial in the SOS plot at Mount Hope cemetery, Toronto.