Maryknoll, NY: Sister Georgina Gamarra, M.M. died on August 8th, 2023 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY. She was 90 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 67 years.
Julia Georgina Gamarra Cortijo was born on July 27th, 1933 in Lima, Peru to Teófila (Cortijo) and Manuel Jesús Gamarra. She had two brothers and six sisters; her sisters Dr. Teófila de la Luz and Mrs. Esther Collins survive her.
Georgina attended Rosa de Santa Maria High School in Lima, Peru from 1945-1949. She earned her Bachelor of Education Degree at Central Normal School for Women in Lima in 1954. She then attended Maryknoll Teachers College in Maryknoll, NY from 1956-1959 and graduated from Iona College, New Rochelle, NY with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, major in Psychology and minor in Spanish in 1976. She continued her studies and earned a Master of Arts Degree in Theological Studies from the Maryknoll School of Theology, Maryknoll, NY in 1985.
Georgina taught for one year at the Teachers College in Lima, Peru before she entered the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation in Maryknoll, NY on September 2nd, 1956 (from her home parish of Carrera in Lima, Peru). She pronounced her First Profession of Vows on June 24th, 1959 in Maryknoll, NY and her Final Vows on June 24th, 1980 in Chile.
Sister Georgina received her first mission assignment to Chile in 1960, where she remained for 20 years. She served in Curepto and later in Santiago, there she ministered as a high school and grade school teacher; Director of Religious Education; Director of Christian Youth Groups; gave inner healing retreats; and was involved in the formation of the Charismatic Renewal in the country.
From 1981-1984, Sister Georgina did her Congregational Services at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY working in Supportive Services and the Library. Afterwards, she traveled around the United States giving Charismatic Seminars from 1984-1987. Sister Georgina was then assigned to the Eastern United States Region in 1988. In 1989, she opened the New Life Center in Elgin, IL where she was involved in the formation of small Christian Communities, inner healing retreats/counseling and she would also often travel overseas to give retreats.
From 1990-2015, Sister Georgina lived in Florida serving as an Associate Pastor in Nativity Church Parish in Tampa until 2010. She worked on the formation of 55 small Christian communities and was an advocate for the annulment of marriages. In 2010, she transferred to Indiantown, FL where she worked in the Holy Cross Parish as Coordinator of the Hispanic Ministry and Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RICA). She also volunteered in various ways, gave retreats and did prison ministry at the State Prison of Ocala in 2015.
In 2016, Sister Georgina was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters community in Monrovia, CA where she semi-retired and also volunteered her time accompanying Sisters on medical appointments and shopping trips.
Sister Georgina returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY in March 2023 where she fully retired and remained until her passing on August 8th, 2023.
Funeral Services:
A Vespers Service will be held for Sister Georgina on August 21, 2023 at 4:15 p.m. in the Chapel of the Annunciation at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on August 22, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.