Sister Amadeus McKevitt, O.S.U.

Sister Amadeus McKevitt, O.S.U., who served for more than 20 years on the archdiocesan Metropolitan Tribunal and also had been vicar for religious, died Oct. 14 at Andrus on Hudson in Hastings-on-Hudson. She was 91.

She also had served as provincial of her congregation, a superior and a teacher and principal.

Father John Vigilanti, vice judicial vicar, worked with Sister Amadeus during her entire tenure with the Tribunal.

"She was an invaluable asset to the Tribunal, without a doubt," he told CNY. He described her manner as "open and pastoral."

"She made every opportunity to afford people the chance to make an appointment," he said. "She was very expeditious."

Father Vigilanti said that only last month he and two sisters joined her to celebrate her 91st birthday.

Sister Amadeus was provincial of the Ursuline Sisters' Eastern Province, 1967-1970, and superior of St. Teresa's Convent at the College of New Rochelle, 1960-1966. She taught at St. Angela Merici School, the Bronx, 1947-1952; St. Joseph's, Middletown, 1943-1947; and Blessed Sacrament, New Rochelle, 1940-1943.

In Maryland she was principal of an academy and a local superior.

She served in Rome and the United States in developing programs for sisters in formation, and she was vicar for religious in the Archdiocese of New York from 1973 to 1981.

At the request of Cardinal Terence Cooke she went to The Catholic University of America to study canon law, earned a degree and then was appointed to the archdiocesan Marriage Tribunal as the first woman to be named a judge.

Sister Catherine Quinn, P.B.V.M., succeeded Sister Amadeus as vicar for religious.

"She was a great mentor, a wonderful friend, someone who was forthright in every way," Sister Catherine told CNY.

Born in Jersey City, N.J., she entered the Ursuline Sisters in 1936 and professed final vows in 1942. She held a bachelor's degree in history from the College of New Rochelle, a master's in American history from Fordham University and a licentiate in canon law from The Catholic University of America.

Surviving is a sister, Katherine Dullaghan.

Father Vigilanti celebrated a Funeral Mass Oct. 18 at Holy Family Chapel at the College of New Rochelle. Burial was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in New Rochelle.