From the Archives

With an innate kindness and gentleness of spirit, Sister Martha Mary McGaw, C.S.J., was a fixture in the archdiocese as the associate editor of the “Sooner Catholic” from 1978 to 1995. She was the creator of the column that dealt with spiritual life, “Martha’s Eyes and Ears,” a commentary on contemporary media, and of course her back page “sketches,” in which she interviewed a variety of people from the archdiocese. A popular and beloved part of the publication.

Besides her writing skills, she was an accomplished photographer. During an interview and photo session with world-renowned photographer Ansel Adams, he was so impressed with her photo of him that he asked for a copy – a moment of immense pride for Sister Martha Mary. Father David Monahan, editor of the “Sooner Catholic,” stated upon her departure, “Sister Martha Mary McGaw has been a rare jewel in American Catholic journalism. I was asked repeatedly by other editors ‘Where did you find her?’ She wrote straight news stories, features, profiles and regular columns on the arts and culture, spiritual life and even occasional editorials. In addition to all that she arrived in Oklahoma with a portfolio of her photography work and proved to be one of the Catholic press’ finest photographers.”

As evidence that Father Monahan’s effusive praise was based in sound fact, she received no less than 19 awards from the Catholic Press Association. 

So where did this remarkable woman come from? That story is equally compelling. Entering the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet in 1933, she was solemnly professed in 1939. One of her first postings after her profession was in Honolulu, where she served as a catechist. On the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, she was an eyewitness to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In fact, she was on her way to the city and had to seek cover from strafing attacks in a sugarcane field. While in Hawaii, she wrote “Stevenson in Hawaii,” and it is still considered an important reference book on Robert Louis Stevenson. She was also the author of popular paperback “Sixty Ways to Let Yourself Grow.”

As an educator, she taught at every level from elementary to college. Her last post was acting as an English teacher at Mount Saint Mary’s College in Los Angeles. She would then transition to a career in journalism for the next 25 years. 

This multi-talented Sister also became an expert interviewer. During her tenure at the Sooner Catholic, she was able to initiate conversations with diverse subjects as aviation pioneer Chuck Yeager, Peanuts creator Charles Schultz and theologian Avery Cardinal Dulles. 

After 17 years with the “Sooner Catholic,” she was faced with colon cancer followed by a broken hip. Understanding that it was time to return home to the community, she was taken care of by a specialized medical care facility, believing it would be advantageous to be with her sisters on a daily basis. 

The life of this amiable and delightful woman ended on May 6, 1995, in St. Louis where her religious life began. As she told Father Monahan many times. “I love Oklahoma.” It is reasonable to say that the feeling was mutual.