The facts of their deaths are few and stark.
The lives of our Sisters Margaret Hanlon and Gertrude Vaccaro, along with those of 44 other people, were brought to an abrupt end on Thursday, December 9th, when a plane crashed and exploded at La Serena, Chile. Margaret Hanlon was born to Martin and Jane Bryan Hanlon on June 10, 1940, in San Francisco, California, the second in their family of six children. Peg attended Dominican College in San Rafael, California, for 2 years before entering the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate at Valley Park, Missouri on October 18, 1960. Following first profession in 1963, Peg came to Maryknoll, New York, and after graduation from Mary Rogers College went on for graduate studies at Fordham University, New York, where she received a Master of Arts in English. During this same period, Peg's creative energies became evident in her musical studies and she continued to share her love of music throughout her life.
Even while pursuing her studies, Peg was relishing her first experiences of mission here in the United States: at San Juan Capistrano in 1965, and the following year among the Chinese community at Transfiguration School in New York City.
In 1968 she was assigned to the Bolivia/Peru Region where, after language studies, she taught religion and English at Maryknoll High School in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Although not a teacher by inclination, she nevertheless made a valuable contribution because of her natural interest, enthusiasm and ability to communicate so much of herself.
Towards the end of 1972, Peg returned to the United States to join the Development Department as a member of the World Awareness Team in Chicago. She felt a deep commitment and responsibility for sharing with the people and Church of the U.S. the experiences and insights gained during her years in Bolivia.
Peg returned to Bolivia in June 1975, where she joined a Rural Pastoral Team in the Santa Cruz Area at Muyurina. During those years she also served as Orientation Director for the Bolivia Region.
Peg's talents and gifts for leadership became increasingly evident: she was elected to serve as Coordinator of the Bolivia Regional Governing Board (1976-1978) and was a delegate to I.A.C. (Inter-Assembly Conference) in 1976. She was a delegate to the General Assembly in 1978 at which time she was elected to the Central Governing Board of the Congregation.