Sr. Mary Ann McCart was a native of Kilsyth and was a member of the Order of the Helpers of the Holy Souls. She served out all of her vocation in the United States of America after she emigrated following her brother Michael John McCart from Kilsyth to the USA in the early 1920's - we think in 1922.

Born Annie McCart on the 18th June 1904 in Kilsyth she was one of 10 children of William McCart and Annie Glancy who lived in the Brick Rows now Kingston Road. She was educated at St Patrick's School Kilsyth and then at Charlotte Street School for Girls in Glasgow.

After emigration to the USA she entered the Order of the Helpers of the Holy Souls at Choppaqua, Westchester New York on the 5th of December 1928 as a Novice. She recieved the Habit on the 16th June 1929.

Sister McCart took her first vows on the 8th September 1931 and her final profession was made on 19th August 1937. She celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in 1999. During her vocation she was stationed with the Helpers of the Holy Souls in Los Angeles, California for some time but her last residence was at the Society of Helpers at 303 West Barry Ave Chicago, Illinois a location which has since been sold by the order. This was the outstandingly beautiful location situated right on Lake Michigan on the edge of Lincoln Park where Sister Mary Ann died on the 2nd November 2001 aged 96 years after serving for 72 years as a Nun.

She is interred at All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines in a location marked by a headstone and reserved for Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur within which there is a small grave marker for each of the sisters.

Our thanks to Nan Keim of Alexandria Virginia, Sister McCart's neice, for the photographs and also to her great nephew Tom Keim of San Francisco who visited St Patrick's Kilsyth and had Mass said for her in her home Parish in August 2011.