The Franciscan Missionary of Mary (FMM), which Sister Philomena Fogarty belonged to, has expressed the order's sorrow at the news of her murder.
Sister Elizabeth O'Hagan said everybody was "gutted" and her thoughts were with Sr Fogarty's family.
Speaking today, Sr O'Hagan said that everyone was "terribly upset" upon hearing the news. She said Sr Fogarty did great work with the underprivileged.
Sr Fogarty taught primary and second level children in Japan for 15 years before moving to the United States.She lived in Hamilton, Georgia, came from a family of three sisters and was born in Cork City. She became a religious Catholic Sister in the mid-1950's and attended AB Digby Stewart College in London where she trained as a teacher.
Later she achieved a Masters in Education in Washington University, St Louis, Missouri. She moved to Hamilton in the early 1980's and soon became involved with the community outreach program Fellowship of Christians United for Services (FOCUS) where she was devoted strongly to helping the elderly.
She would have celebrated her 50th anniversary as a nun this year.
Sr Fogarty's body was found badly mutilated yesterday. A man has been arrested in connection with her killing.
