Sister Mary Grace Cunniff was born Ellen Josephine on September 12th, 1926 in Nashville, Tennessee. She was baptized that year on October 3rd, a middle child among eight children, five sisters and two brothers. Her parents were of Irish descent. She recalls that life was hard in the Depression and during labor strikes, as her father worked 50 years for the railroad. 

The children were able to attend Catholic school taught by the Sisters of Mercy; Sr. M. Grace later recognized that the seeds of a religious vocation were planted by a few of the Sisters who had a good influence on her life. “Their devotion, spirit of sacrifice and prayerfulness were an inspiration to me.” So, apparently, was our magazine, then called Tabernacle and Purgatory. She recalled that once in high school, she and most of her classmates had forgotten to prepare a two minute talk each was supposed to give in religion class. Fortunately she had brought the current issue of the magazine with her to read on the bus to school and was able to give an “A” level talk without advance preparation on a topic she had read about.

Young Ellen felt a call to religious life early but put it aside and felt ‘opposite attractions’. Then her oldest sister, Mary Elizabeth, [now Sr. M. Stella] entered the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in 1942 when Ellen was 16.

“Toward the end of my senior year in high school through several undeniable experiences in prayer, I knew without a doubt that God was calling me to a contemplative community.” She kept her vocation strong with regular prayer and the sacraments. Before entrance, she did stenographer work first at the War plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and later for a moving van company. She said this was a time for her to grow and to get over homesickness.

Ellen entered the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration at Clyde on July 15, 1945 and made first vows, receiving the name Sr. Mary Grace, on February 15, 1947. During the years of her temporary profession she experienced the life of the community at our Kansas City and Clyde monasteries. Soon after final vows in 1952 she was transferred to Tucson.

During that time she wrote to the community back in Kansas City, about new experiences: “It was fun learning all the kitchen rubrics too. The second day at dishwashing, I wasn’t very familiar with the infirmities of some of the pots and pans. I poured a pan full of water into a leaking roaster and consequently one portion of the floor got mopped before Saturday.”

In some of her monastic life she was assigned to a monastery along with her sister, Sr. Mary Stella, six years older. The longest stretch of time they lived together was 14 years in Kansas City. Although Sr. Mary Grace did sacristy work, she pitched in to help Sr. Stella in the kitchen when things got rushed. They also lived together in Tucson—and managed to get to the Grand Canyon for vacation.

Sr. Mary Grace spent the most years at our Kansas City Monastery, being sent there at least five times. In those days superiors moved sisters around a lot, matching talents with needs. During those years Sr. Grace worked in the sacristy, kitchen and correspondence department and had singing lessons. Besides prayer and work, the mainstays of our life, she enjoyed nature, swimming and reading. Sisters who lived with her in Kansas City said that she was a gentle supportive presence to the newer members as they adjusted to the foibles of community life.

In 1980 she had the joy of experiencing a trip to Europe, visiting Germany, France and our founding monastery of Maria Rickenbach in Switzerland.

When Sr. Mary Grace was a member of the Clyde community in the late 1990s and early 2000s she worked in the Altar Bread Department. Many a long term visitor or postulant got ‘trained in’ by Sr. Grace in the way to inspect, handle and pack the altar breads, always with a patient gentleness.

In 2007 Sr. Mary Grace transferred from our monastery in Clyde to Our Lady of Rickenbach Healthcare Center. During the years in our healthcare center she kept her quiet gracious sense of welcoming others, perhaps because some of her Nashville charm fit with Benedictine hospitality. There was always a twinkle in her eyes. She continued, as she was able, to go to work in the Altar Bread department sorting and packing the larger ‘concelebration’ and ‘Mass hosts’.

In her last years Sr. Mary Grace suffered from added infirmities and increasing pain. She went to the hospital in early August and returned after a week, then signed up for Hospice care. The sisters kept vigil with her. Sister Stella, her sister, Sr. Mary John and Sr. Cathleen Marie were with her when she died early on August 18th. Funeral liturgy and burial at our Mt. Calvary Cemetery were on August 24, 2015.