Sister Catherine Higley (aka Sr. Mary Jude) was born in Wilmington on Christmas Eve, 1941.  She was the oldest of the three children of the late Mary Gibbons and Thomas Higley.  After graduating from both St. Matthew's elementary school and St. Elizabeth's high school, she entered the Benedictine Sisters of Ridgely, Maryland.

She furthered her education by earning a Bachelor's degree from Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, another Bachelor's degree from Widener University, Chester, PA, and a Master's degree from the Catholic University of America.

Her professional career spanned 15 years as an elementary school teacher in the parochial school system of Wilmington.  Four of those years were spent as the principal of St. Catherine of Siena School.

After completing her 15 years as an educator, she enrolled in and graduated from the Nursing School of Wilmington and began a four-year period of nursing at St. Francis Hospital, Wilmington.  During that time, she earned her BSN from Widener while working full-time. In 1983 while the hospice movement was still in its infancy, she was on the first nursing staff of Delaware Hospice.  In 1985 she moved to DC and worked at the Hospice of Northern Virginia.  While there and working full-time again, she earned her MSN from Catholic University of America.

Eight years later she served as Sub-Prioress of the community and was elected to the position of Prioress in 2008.  Due to illness she had to resign that position in 2011.

Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother-in-law, James Lengle and her nephew, David Lengle.  She is survived by her brother and his wife, Thomas and Anne Marie and her sister Mary Lengle.  She is also survived by six nieces and nephews and 16 great nieces and great nephews.

A visitation will be held on March 18, 2024  from 10-11:30 with a Mass of Christian Burial at Holy Family Catholic Church, 15 Gender Road, Newark, DE 19713 at 11:30am.  Burial will take place at St. Gertrude Cemetery in Ridgely, MD.  In lieu of flowers, donations are recommended to the Benedictine Sisters at 25 Gender Road, Newark, DE 19713.  Online condolences may be made to mealeyfuneralhomes.com