Margaret Amy Fisher

"That's God's department," was Sister Mary Fisher's favorite saying. Sister's Mary, also known as Sister Placida, and Margaret Amy Fisher, age 83, died peacefully at the Cedar Ridge Inn, Farmington, NM, on the morning of May 3, 2026. Besides the frequent visits by the sisters, one of our sisters stayed with her the last two weeks of her life.

Sister Mary's parents were James and Genevieve Fisher, Sister Mary grew up in New York attending St. Mary's grade school, Guardian Angel School, and graduated from high school in 1959, from Catholic Central High in Troy, NY. She was always proud of her interest in nursing and received a Nursing diploma from the St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing in 1962. Sister Mary would recall that one of her favorite sport's was the Ski Patrol. Once at the end of the day when the ski lifts were shut down, there was a distant voice that she heard, two kids were lost, down the mountain. She and her partner were able to talk them up the mountain. The parents were called and were so thankful. Sister Mary was totally relieved.

Her travels were many; in fact, all over the world: Rome, Fatima, Portugal, Great Britan, Australia, Tanzania, Africa, Mexico, California, Hawaii, Washington, DC.

Her journey of monastic life began with Holy Trinity Monastery in Arizona, for eight years, which is now Holy Trinity Diocesan Retreat Center. Sister Mary then met Sister Benedicta Serna at the Monastic Institute at St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minesota, and subsequently, joined Sister Benedicta in Santa Cruz, NM, on March 8, 1993, only three years of the founding of Our Lady of the Desert. Those early years meant many trips back and forth to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Abiquiu, NM, to learn about Benedictine formation. Their life together was graced with perseverance and hope. Even Sister Mary's cats, Moses and Jerry seemed to survive. There was a story about how Jerry got lost and believe it or not, after a few weeks he found his way back to the monastery, happy and healthy.

During the early history of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Desert, Sister Mary was the pillar and basic love of living the monastic life amidst the challenges of beginning a new monastery with Sister Benedicta. They both survived those early years and maintained their living by weaving. Throughout the years, Sister Mary served as Liturgist (always loved the psalms), Secretary to Chapter and Council, formation, archivist, Newsletter contributions, Nursing, and responded to prayer requests. Her love of crafts included making yarn Christmas angels, jewelry, cards, Rosary bracelets, and most recently, iconography and bead embroidery.

Together with Mother Julianne (transfer of vows), Sister Benedicta and Sister Hilda, Sister Mary made perpetual monastic profession on February 2, 2005. When the sisters moved from the property of Christ in the Desert, to Gobernador, NM, in 2009, it was Sister Mary who initiated all the details of setting up the utilities of the property.

Sister Mary is survived by her biological brother, Budd diStefano, and her niece, Lisa and husband Doug Wiggers. Throughout her time in hospice, Sister Mary continued to express her deep love for her sisters and found great comfort in our visits, especially when we gathered to pray the Divine Office together. Her faith remained steadfast, her special love of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her gentle presence was a source of inspiration to all who knew her. We rejoice with Sister Mary as she now enjoys living in God's department for eternity with God. The funeral Mass and burial will be on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, Monastery of Christ in the Desert, 1310 Forest Rd 151, Abiquiu, NM 87510, 11 am with Rosary before the celebration of Mass.