Brighton: Sister Rita Kaufman (Sister M. Simon) was called home by her God on November 25, 2017 during her 60th year as a Sister of Mercy. Sister Rita received a BA in English from Nazareth College, a BS in Home Economics from Marywood College, PA and a MS in Theology from St. Michael College. She taught Home Economics & English at Notre Dame HS in Elmira. She was Director of Religious Education at Good Shepherd and at St. Michael’s, Newark. She also served As Assistant Spiritual Director at St. Marks Episcopal Parish in Newark, and then at Mercy Spirituality Center. She studied at the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology in Mountain View, CA and was hired by the Institute as a mentor and spiritual director to work with foreign students.
She shared her in-depth spirituality & global vision, combined with her appreciation of religion and culture for sixteen years. Upon retirement, she joined the Spiritual Apostolate at Mercy Center. She is survived by brother, Robert, nieces and nephew and by the Sisters of Mercy.

Friends are welcome Wednesday 4-7 PM at Mercy Center, 1437 Blossom Rd. where her vigil service will be at 7 PM. Her Funeral Mass will be Thursday at 10AM at Mercy Center. Interment at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Donations in her memory may be made to the Sisters of Mercy.