Sister M. Regina Brennan, RSM

Mary Regina Brennan, RSM (born Natalie) died peacefully on April 8, 2026 at Hope Health Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence. Regina was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, the daughter of John and Olympia (Malgieri) Brennan.  She was predeceased in death by her parents, her brothers James, John and Joseph and niece Paula.  She is survived by her two nephews, Terrance Brennan and Michael Brennan and niece, Erin Brennan.

Having graduated from Mount Saint Mary Academy in Fall River, Regina entered the Sisters of Mercy on September 8, 1960 in Cumberland, Rhode Island.  Her first ministries were education in the Fall River and Providence dioceses.  In 1978 she walked into St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where she would stay for the next 44 years. When she walked in, she recognized that this was a place that cared for the students.  

She would often say to students: “You never know what it is like at someone’s breakfast table.” She was gently reminding and encouraging students to practice kindness and understanding of one another.  At St. Raphael Academy she organized ECHO (Encountering Christ in Others), an annual week-long retreat for seniors designed to help them see the place of Christ in their lives and the lives of others.  She organized a career explorer program that invited alumni to come to school and discuss their careers with sophomores and juniors.

Students and alumni said she was a friend when you needed her, a listener when you needed her; she was someone who really cared about you in school.  Her door was always open to any student. Sister Regina always made you feel safe.  No matter what you said she was always positive and supportive.

Family and friends established the Sister Regina Brennan Living Legacy fund, a scholarship that provides assistance to families facing financial difficulties. On September 15, 2022, St. Raphael dedicated the Sister Regina Brennan Guidance Center.  At the ceremony, Regina said there was never a day she did not want to come to work.

Regina was one of the first ten recipients of the Diocese of Providence Lumen Gentium Award that recognizes those who toil in the vineyard.  She was chosen for Catholic Education.

She also received the diocesan Companions on the Journey Award that recognizes work with Catholic Youth. When Regina faced the God she loved and served, she presented her 44 years of nurturing young people.

The funeral will be held at St. Joseph’s Church, 195 Walcott Street, Pawtucket, RI on Saturday, April 11, 2026.  Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a Mercy Prayer Service at 10:45 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Sister Mary Regina Brennan Legacy Fund, St. Raphael’s Academy, 123 Walcott St., Pawtucket, RI 02860 would be appreciated. For information and condolences, please visit: www.galloglyfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sister M. Regina Brennan, RSM, please visit our floral store.