Aston, PA—Sister Julia Tierney, OSF (formerly Sister Jarlath Anne), 88, died in Riddle Memorial Hospital on February 15. She had been a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 69 years. Sister Julia was born in County Mayo, Ireland, where she was a member of St. Mary Parish in Roundfort. She entered the congregation in 1946 and professed her first vows in 1950. Sister Julia earned a BA in English from Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania, in 1970, and an MA in education from Boston University in 1978.  She ministered primarily in education on both elementary and college levels.

Sister Julia ministered for 19 years in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. She taught at Neumann University and following her retirement became a volunteer at St. Mary Medical Center in Langhorne. She moved to Assisi House in Aston in 2013 where she served in prayer and hospitality ministry until her death.

Sister Julia’s 13 years of ministry in the Diocese of Trenton included teaching at St. Anthony School and Holy Angels School, both in Trenton, and at St. Leo the Great School in Lincroft.

During her 10 years in the Archdiocese of Boston, Sister Julia taught at both Holy Trinity School in Boston and at Our Lady of the Assumption School in Lynnfield. She spent another 10 years in the Diocese of Harrisburg teaching at St. Joseph School in Lancaster and serving as both teacher and principal at Holy Trinity School in Columbia.

In later years Sister Julia’s ministry took her to collegiate levels where she served as lecturer in various universities, including Calle University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, Bethlehem University in Israel, and Mpima Major Seminary in Zambia, Africa.

Following her retirement from education, she also served for six years in the Diocese of El Paso as coordinator of volunteer care at Annunciation House.

All services will be held in Assisi House, 600 Red Hill Road, Aston, Pennsylvania, 19014 on February 19, 2019. A Christian Wake Service will be held at 9:30 A.M. followed by viewing. Mass of Christian Burial at will be at 11 A.M. Burial will be in Our Lady of Angels Cemetery in Aston. Sister Julia is survived by her sisters, Peggy Heaney, Sheila McLoughlin, and Anne Twohig; her brothers, Peter Tierney and James Tierney; her nieces and nephews, and by her Franciscan family. Donations in her name can be made to the Sisters of St. Francis Foundation, 609 S. Convent Road, Aston, PA 19014.