Sister Mary Philip Aaron, SC, age 93, entered eternal life on January 24, 2026,

Sister Mary Philip Aaron, SC, age 93 entered eternal life on January 25, 2026, at Caritas Christi, the motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, in her 75th year of commitment to religious life.  Born July 20, 1932, in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, she entered the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill on September 8, 1950, from Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Pittsburgh (now Incarnation of the Lord Parish).

Sister Mary Philip was preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Mary (Connor) Aaron; her brothers, Paul Aaron and Reverend James Aaron; her sisters Nancy Weigand and Bernadette Aaron; and her cousins, Sisters Mary Cyril Aaron, SC and Sister Marcella Mary Burgunder, SC. She is survived by her twin brother, Brother Philip T. Aaron, S.M., nieces and nephews.

 Sister Mary Philip earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Seton Hill University, two NSF grants to support research and education across various fields of science and engineering, and completed graduate work at Arizona State University, and Indiana University of PA.  For twenty-five years her ministry was in the field of education, where she taught several secondary-level subjects; chemistry, physics, biology, algebra and Latin, in schools in the dioceses of Altoona-Johnstown, Phoenix, and Pittsburgh where she positively impacted student learning and development.  She also served in educational administration as vice principal at Seton High in Chandler, Arizona, and at Sacred Heart and Seton-LaSalle High Schools in Pittsburgh.  Sister Mary Philip’s teaching ministry included a broad and diverse spectrum of socioeconomic, ability levels and multiethnic groups.

Sister Mary Philip served for twenty years at Seton Hill University.  She served as Financial Aid Associate Director and then as the Director. She was an Educational Advisor at Project Forward,  a program that supports students in their academic and career development by counseling the admission of needy, talented students seeking post post-secondary education.

 Sister Mary Philip had the answer to a dream that was held in her heart for many years,  teaching English conversation at Saint Joseph High School in Kang-Jin, South Korea which she did for three years.   She returned to the United States with deep gratitude for the experience of cross-cultural ministry.  Sister Mary Philip summed up her years in the Asian country saying, “I experienced the tradition of Elizabeth Seton and Vincent de Paul through Korean eyes.”

After her return from Korea, Sister Mary Philip was the manager of Saint Justin Plaza in Pittsburgh, a subsidized apartment complex for senior citizens, where she ministered to residents, ensuring a safe, welcoming, and dignified living environment for all residents many of whom were handicapped.

Afterwards she ministered with Rendu Services, playing a vital role in the work of the Vision of Charity helping families—many were elderly and economically disadvantaged—affected by the decline of the coal mining industry in Fayette County, one of the poorest counties in the nation. This collaborative ministry, sponsored by the Daughters of Charity, the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, provided food pantries, clothing drives, social activities, educational programs, and mobile health services to relieve isolation and address essential needs in rural communities.  Inspired by the witness of Blessed Sister Rosalie Rendu, DC, Sister Mary Philip saw her work with the poor and marginalized as a continuation of the Gospel call to serve Christ in those most in need.

Reflecting on her life as a Sister of Charity, Sister Mary Philip once said, “I am grateful to God for enabling me to fulfill my vocation within the charism of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and the example of the Seton Hill Sisters of Charity, past and present.”

The Sisters of Charity at Caritas Christi are grateful to the staff who cared for Sister Mary Philip over the last year.

May Sister Mary Philip  rest in peace with Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and all the Company of Charity.

Family and friends will be received at Caritas Christi, 129 DePaul Center Road, Greensburg on Thursday, January 29 from 2:00 pm to 6:30 pm. A prayer vigil sharing memories in the Chapel of Assumption will follow at 6:30 pm.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Friday, January 30 at 10:30 am in the Chapel of Assumption at Caritas Christi. Burial will immediately follow Mass in the Sisters’ Cemetery.

The funeral liturgy will be live-streamed; access through the link: https://venue.streamspot.com/2af9e1eb

If you wish to offer prayers or remembrances, you may do so by emailing [email protected]. Memorial contributions may be made to Sisters of Charity, DePaul Center, 144 DePaul Center Road, Greensburg, PA 15601.  For more information, visit the website, www.scsh.org.