Sr. Patricia (Agnes) Bracken, 87, July 31, 1937 – January 5, 2025 Sr. Agnes Marie of the Child Jesus, 67 Years Professed
Known in religious life as Sr. Agnes Marie of the Child Jesus, Sr. Agnes (Patricia Anne) Bracken, DW, 87, was a dedicated Sister for 67 years. Sr. Agnes was called to her heavenly home on Sunday, January 5, 2025.
Born in Brooklyn, NY, to Margaret Carroll and John J. Bracken on July 31, 1937, Patricia Anne (Agnes) Bracken was baptized by her granduncle, Msgr. Lawrence H. Bracken on August 12, 1937, at the Church of St. Benedict Joseph Labre in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY.
From childhood, Sr. Agnes grew up under the light of Eternal Wisdom. Her mother, an Our Lady of Wisdom Academy graduate, proudly presented her to the Sisters at an alumni reunion. Sr. Elizabeth Therese, DW, placed her on the altar, asking for Mary's blessing. Sr. Agnes grew up in St. Benedict Joseph Labre parish in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY, attended Our Lady of Wisdom Academy in Ozone Park, NY, and entered the Daughters of Wisdom Novitiate after graduation. Professed on February 2, 1957, she received the name Sr. Agnes Marie of the Child Jesus.
Sister Agnes received her initial education at Maryview Hospital School of Nursing in Portsmouth, Va. After Maryview, she attended Catholic University in Washington, DC, for her BSN in Nursing. Her years in Washington occurred during the civil rights movement, during which Sr. Agnes ministered to the people in the historic "tent city" set up in DC.
She spent a short time at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, NY, then became engaged in public health nursing in Brooklyn, NY. As a visiting nurse, she served the homebound seniors with compassion and competence. At Brooklyn Catholic Charities, she became assistant coordinator for the Office for the Aging. She received her MSN in Gerontological Nursing at Adelphi, Garden City, NY, and a Post-Masters Certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychiatric Mental Health. Later, at Molloy College in Rockville Centre, NY, she earned her Post Masters Certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Sr. Agnes' experience as a nursing supervisor for Visiting Nurse Services, New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center, St. Mary's Home Care, and Catholic Medical Center, where she provided direct patient and medical-surgical services, led her to Nursing Education at Molloy College and St. Francis College in Brooklyn where she rounded out her professional career.
To bring the light of Wisdom to Molloy College, Sr. Agnes researched "The Perception of The Relationship of Spirituality to Wellness among Nursing Students and Faculty." A consummate professional, Sr. Agnes endeavored to convey the concepts of respect for the sick and dying and the ethical and legal aspects the nursing profession requires.
In her other passionate endeavors, Sr. Agnes represented the Daughters of Wisdom at a United Nations NGO focusing on the trafficking of women and water availability. Through her role as a home care nurse, she was a member of the core committee that helped to establish Christa House, Babylon, NY, for hospice care of AIDS patients. An educator at heart, she provided in-service education for the staff at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent in Sound Beach, NY, served on the board of Maria Regina Residence in Brentwood, NY, and the board of St. Francis de Sales Academy, Belle Harbor, Queens, NY. Sister was also a member of the New York Nurses Association and the Brooklyn Diocese Sisters Senate and served on the boards of the Nursing Association of Long Island and Sigma Theta Tau, the Nursing Honor Society.
Loved by students, associates, and the patients she encountered, Sister thrived on the purpose of her profession and the ability to work toward positive health outcomes for the people she served.
A light and a twinkle could be found in her eyes when Sister spoke about her siblings and family, articulating deep love and pride in them and her Irish heritage. Another highlight of Sister's life was the yearly reunions and monthly luncheons she enjoyed with classmates from 1956 at Our Lady of Wisdom Academy, which resulted in friendships that spanned nearly 70 years.
Sister Agnes is survived by her brothers, Rev. Msgr. John J. Bracken (Brooklyn Diocese), Martin Bracken; his wife, Kate; their daughter, Kassie; husband Ethan and their daughter, Grace Pennington; and the Congregation of the Daughters of Wisdom.