Sr. Maria Concepta Maciel, OP
A Memorial Mass was held June 14 at the Dominican Sisters Motherhouse in Fremont, Calif., for Dominican Sister Maria Concepta Maciel, 89, who died recently in her adopted country of Mexico. She had been a Dominican Sister of Mission San Jose for 68 years.

Born in Centerville, Calif., she worked as a catechist with the Holy Family Sisters and was active in Portuguese groups as well as the Young Ladies Institute. She entered the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose in 1939.

After receiving a B.A. from Queen of the Holy Rosary College, she did graduate work at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles and Holy Names College in Oakland. Sister Maciel also earned a certificate from the Gregorian Institute in addition to elementary and secondary teaching credentials.

A gifted singer, musician and music teacher, she taught in elementary and secondary schools, including St. Boniface, Anaheim; Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, La Caņada; and Sacred Heart High School, Lincoln Heights. She was assigned to be the first Regional Superior for her religious order in Mexico in 1964.

Sister Maciel organized the Region of Mexico and established it on a firm foundation. She remained in Mexico for the rest of her life because of her deep love for the sisters and the people whom they served in various elementary and secondary schools and other ministries with the poor and spiritually needy. Burial took place at the sisters' Regional House in Atizapan, Mexico. Memorial gifts may be made to the Dominican Sisters, 43326 Mission Blvd., Fremont, CA 94539.

Sr. M. Stephen Purcell, CSC
Funeral Mass was held June 19 in Notre Dame, Indiana, for Holy Cross Sister M. Stephen Purcell (Maybelle Elizabeth), 87, who died June 16.

Born in Salt Lake City, she entered the Sisters of the Holy Cross in 1940. She earned her B.A. from Saint Mary of the Wasatch College in 1946 and her Master's in Science from Creighton University in 1951.

Sister Purcell was an elementary teacher in Utah, Washington and California for 13 years and moved to high school teaching for 29 years, finishing her time in schools as receptionist, hostess and office manager at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Cross Ministry with the Poor Fund, Saint Mary's, Notre Dame, IN 46556.

Julia Barry
Funeral services were held recently in Ireland for Julia Barry, 97, who died on June 16 in County Cork, Ireland. She was the mother of Msgr. John F. Barry, pastor of American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach.

Kathy Ricciardi
Funeral Mass was held July 2 at Corpus Christi Church in Pacific Palisades for Kathy Ricciardi, 58, who died June 28 after a short battle with cancer. The mother of five children and grandmother of five grandchildren, she was a sister of Father Richard Martini, pastor of Transfiguration Church in Los Angeles.

Francis Robert Louis Rankin
Funeral services were held July 2 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in La Quinta, Calif., for Francis Robert Louis Rankin, who died June 26. Family survivors include his wife of seven years, Ruth; two sons, Dennis of Washington, D.C., and Father Robert Rankin of Tucson, Arizona; a daughter-in-law, Kathryn of Palm Desert; and five grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Messages of condolence may be sent to Father Rankin --- who served within the Archdiocese of Los Angeles from 1980 to 2002 --- at St. Melany Church, 1212 N. Sahuara Ave., Tucson, AZ 85712.