Crowd Bids Farewell To Beloved Nun, 'Mother Teresa Of The East End'

RIVERHEAD, NY — Despite the cold, a crowd filled every pew Wednesday night at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Riverhead as the many whose lives she touched came to pay solemn respects to Sister Margaret Smyth.

Sister Margaret died on Monday at 83, leaving the East End rocked by loss.

One by one, pushing the elderly in wheelchairs and carrying babies in their arms, the Latino community filled the church, where Sister Margaret's coffin was surrounded by flowers, some in the shape of a cross, and where photos of her always-smiling face were placed at the entrance to the chapel.

Even for those who did not speak the language, the message was clear from the sadness in the eyes of those who sat quietly, respectfully, as the priest delivered his message — Sister Margaret's loss is almost impossible to grasp.

"She was the Mother Teresa of the East End," said Sister Carolann Masone of the Sisters of St. Dominic of Amityville, Sister Margaret's order.

Sister Margaret's photo was reflected on the screen as those gathered wiped away tears.

For years, since founding the North Fork Spanish Apostolate, Sister Margaret has been a voice for the voiceless, a champion for the underserved, a light in the darkness for those finding themselves in a country that was not always welcoming.

Whether fighting for drivers' licenses for all, rallying during a census caravan that urged all residents to be counted, championing a Guatemalan consulate in Riverhead, helping the homeless — Patch spoke with Sister Margaret as recently as Friday, when she gave an impassioned interview about the number of homeless children on the East End — or helping to translate for the day laborers at 7-Elevens across the East End who were sometimes left with no recourse when employers refused to pay them, Sister Margaret was a champion for the hundreds who found, in her, a friendly face in what was a sometimes hostile world.

Sister Margaret, despite her diminutive frame and gentle face, was a fiery spirit who led a new reporter out onto the beach in Greenport more than 10 years ago, to show where the homeless had been living in the shadows.

She was always, without fail, in her office in Riverhead, greeting lines of people who met her each morning, trying desperately to navigate paperwork, receive medical care and food — and somehow, find a way to make Christmas bright for the children, even on the darkest of days.

Even on Friday, just three days before she died, Sister Margaret was planning for Monday when she said she'd be back in the office to help distribute the 500 gift cards and baskets of food for families in need this holiday season.

And then, there were the darkest of times, when immigrant families who'd lost a loved one on the East End tried desperately to raise the funds necessary to transport their bodies home to Guatemala. Sister Margaret was there, always, without fail — kicking off collections and helping to cut through thick red tape.

A no-nonsense woman with a tender heart who believed in tough love, Sister Margaret was focused on creating community for the disenfranchised. She helped organize the One Greenport Cultural Festival, a day filled with dancing, food, music and inclusivity. And she fought for signage in public spaces written in Spanish, so the playing field was level for all.

Sister Margaret served as the lifeline for the local Latino community, working on a sea of assistance programs.

She could be seen in the woods and on the beaches of the East End, bringing food and help to the growing homeless population.

“It’s not just the Hispanic community,” she said. “We help anyone that walks through my doors. “If you can help a person’s life, in whatever way — it can be a simple thing, a piece of advice, or a really big thing, in some cases — it’s great, because you feel like you’ve had a little piece of shaping their future.”

Her Riverhead office has long been filled with young Latino mothers and babies, men looking for work, all manner of individuals seeking solace and advice, who lined up early and filled her days.

Sister Margaret thrived on diversity and touched lives in every demographic corner. The Turkish men at her gas station called her “our sister,” and pumped her gas.

“I have no idea if they are Christian or Muslim,” she said. “It doesn’t matter — we bond over humanity.”

And for those she helped, every minute of every day for more than 20 years, she was a hero, a beacon of hope — some have even suggested on social media that Sister Margaret be nominated for sainthood — and her death meant the loss of a protector, a teacher, an advocate, an ally. A friend.

"She was dedicated to helping those who are most disadvantaged in our communities," said social advocate Lisa Votino. "And she was so fierce. She never spoke just to speak. She was deliberate with her words and actions. She was funny and graceful and devoted to her faith. She knew we could all make our community better together, and she led by example. We are all so lucky that she was a member of our community."

"Sister Margaret has lovingly ministered to the Latino community on the East End of Long Island," the Sisters of St. Dominic said. "She was the 'Apostle of the East End'".

Services continue Thursday at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church, located at 546 St. John's Place in Riverhead. Visitation will take place from 9:45 a.m. until 11 a.m. Thursday, with a funeral mass beginning immediately after in English, followed by interment at the Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse Cemetery in Amityville.