Sister Mary Daniel O'Keeffe faithfully served as the Associate Dean of The College of Arts and Sciences for the freshmen class for over eighteen years. In that time, Sister Mary Daniel helped thousands of students navigate the challenges and expectations of adulthood with her wisdom, compassion, and strength. She embodied the University's mission of service to others, treating her students and their parents with empathy and encouragement. Students would often return to her office for advice and support, even after they advanced into their sophomore, junior, or senior years, while parents would call the administrative office to express their disappointment when learning that Sister would no longer be their child's dean.
Sister Mary Daniel was trained in the Classics and was a dedicated teacher. She took great pride in the intelligence and compassion of her Boston College students. Her Cornerstone and Capstone classes gave her renewed strength and energy, even as she struggled with her health. Sister will be especially missed by the administration and staff, who appreciated her intellect, generosity, and great sense of humor. She had a strong, distinctive laugh that could make a friend feel like a great comedian and she often graced her staff with gifts of her favorite brownies and cakes. Sister Mary Daniel leaves an indelible mark on the lives of all she touched and her generosity and goodness will be carried forth by all who knew her.
Sister Mary Daniel's office was filled with reminders of what a gift life is. Every available space on her walls was taken up with beautiful and serene prints of flowers and landscapes. She collected quotes and ideas like some people collect Hummels or Precious Moments; her files were stuffed with papers that express ways to live each day fully and with gratitude. Her shelves were lined with books on wisdom, peace and the journey. It seems only fitting to convey one of Sister Mary Daniel's reflections on wisdom in remembering her life. The following quote is taken from a handout that Sister Mary Daniel would give to her Capstone students each semester on the last day of class. They are her thoughts about Sophia--the Greek word for wisdom, taken from Joyce Rupp's The Star in My Heart:
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Sophia keeps calling to me. She is real. She is near. She shines like starlight in my heart. I believe that she is there for you as well. As you leave Boston College, it is my hope that you will remain faithful to Sophia's presence. Often picture or image Sophia as the Star within you. Feel her blessed presence there, guiding and directing you. For she is, indeed, "more splendid than the sun; she outshines all the constellations" (Wisdom 7:29). Welcome her radiance. Believe in her light. Invite her truths into your life. Wait for her to reveal. Absorb what she shares. Integrate these wisdoms and let them live in you. May these be so vibrant that the starlight in you transforms the world around you. |
--Rebecca Schmitz