Sister Emily Katherine Morgan, a Sister of Mercy of the Americas who served for 71 years, died on July 29, 2026, at Catherine’s Residence, the Mercy Retirement Center in Frontenac, Missouri. She was two days shy of her 91st birthday.
Sister Emily graduated from Mercy High School in St. Louis in 1953 and entered the Sisters of Mercy that same year, making final vows in 1960. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1958 and taught in elementary schools in Portageville, St. Louis and Sikeston, Missouri; Little Rock, Arkansas; and McAllen and Mission, Texas.

In 1984, answering the Second Vatican Council’s call for missioners, she studied at the IDEAL Language School in Cuernavaca, Mexico, after completing a master’s degree in theology at the University of Notre Dame in 1971.
She then served as pastoral associate at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Raymondville, Texas, ministering in three parishes and five missions until 2007. Following a brief sabbatical, she became pastoral assistant at Christ the King Parish in Southaven, Mississippi, where she launched the diocesan program for the laity, supported the Spanish-speaking ministry and coordinated music for the church choirs, until retiring in 2022.
A woman of many talents, Sister Emily put them all to work for the church for more than 70 years. An accomplished musician, she brought music wherever she went. At the heart of her life was a deep commitment to opening the Scriptures to adult lay people in weekly gatherings, preparing new apostles to share the Gospel.
A private Celebration of Life and Memorial Mass was held Aug. 3 at Catherine’s Residence Chapel.