Sister Marie Amelia Ferillo

Sister Marie Amelia Ferillo, a Sister of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy, died at May Forest, the Motherhouse of the Congregation on August 31, 2016. Sr. Marie Amelia, formerly Margaret Ferillo, was born in Charleston, SC on July 22, 1925 to Angelo M. Ferillo and Amelia Traynor Ferillo. A graduate of Bishop England High School, Charleston, SC she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from the College of Notre Dame, Baltimore, MD, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Catholic University, Washington, DC. Sister also did graduate studies in Theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and in Philosophy at Catholic University. Sister Marie Amelia entered the convent May 31, 1943. She professed her first vows on December 17, 1945 and perpetual vows March 25, 1949. Sister Marie Amelia became an educator who taught at the Cathedral School and St. Joseph’s School in Charleston, SC as well as St. Angela Academy, Aiken, SC and St. Mary’s School Greenville, SC. Sister also did Catechetical Work for two years in Englishtown NJ. Sister Amelia taught at Bishop England High School for 31 years. From 1988 to 2012, Sister served in the Hispanic Ministry of Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Services, Johns Island, SC. For the last four years, Sr. Marie Amelia continued her ministry of outreach to others in need via the telephone. She was also a viable participant in the prayer ministry of the Motherhouse community. As an educator at Bishop England High School, Sister served on the High School Advisory Council, was Chairperson of the Foreign Language Department and a member of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese. In later years, Sister was involved in Circulo Hispano Americano, Bishop England High School Alumni Association, and a member of the Migrant Farm Workers Task Force. In 2006, Sister Marie Amelia received the Woman Religious Award from the SC Council of Catholic Women. Sister was predeceased by her parents and brother, and is survived by her nephew Charles (Bud) Ferillo, Jr. and family, her cousin Mrs. Frances Simmons and many other cousins and her sisters in community, The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Mercy. Friends are invited to call at the Motherhouse, 424 Fort Johnson Rd., between 3:00 and 5:00 PM on Friday, September 2, 2016 and again, one hour prior to the service on Saturday. A Vigil Service will be held at the Motherhouse on Friday evening at 7:00PM. Her Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at May Forest, Motherhouse Chapel at 11:00 AM Saturday, September 3, 2016. The Rite of Committal will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Center, PO Box 607, Johns Island, SC 29457.