Find and Contact a Sister
Are you looking to connect or re-connect with one of our Sisters? If so, this is the right place!
Search by Sisters’s name, and don’t worry if you don’t know her last name — this is searchable by first name. Did you know that after Vatican II, many sisters returned to using their birth names rather than the religious names they were given when they entered the congregation? We’ve included current and former names to make your search easier. Just search by the name you remember.
Feel free to click the Get In Touch link to send a message a Sister. If that Sister is deceased, but you want to make an inquiry, send an email to publicrelations@ssjerie.org. (Please note: messages sent to sisters via the website may not be private — please do not include personal or confidential information.)
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Marjorie Adams, SSJ
Sister
Formerly Sister Agatha
Home Parish: St. John the Evangelist, Girard, PA
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1951
Final Profession: 1956
Sister Marjorie Adams became acquainted with religious life while living and studying at Villa Maria College. The spirit and spirituality of the Sisters of St.…
Clare Marie Beichner, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Michael, Fryburg, PA
Sister Clare Marie Beichner entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1978 from her home parish, St. Michael in Fryburg, PA. She received a Masters degree in social work in 1993 from the University of Pittsburgh and a MS in education and a BS in elementary education from Clarion State University.…
Ann Marie Cappello, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: Sacred Heart, Erie, PA
Sister Ann Marie Cappello, SSJ, formerly Sister Francetta, earned a BS in Elementary Education from Villa Maria College, Erie (1966); a M.Ed in Education/Reading from Edinboro University, Edinboro, PA (1972); and received certification as a reading specialist from Edinboro University (1973). 
She also studied Library Science at Edinboro University, Gifted Education at Kent State University, and attended the Leadership Erie program through Gannon University, Erie. …
Josephine DePetro, SSJ
Sister
Formerly Sister Mary Anthony
Home Parish: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Bradford, PA
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1955
Final Profession: 1961
Sister Josephine DePetro recognized a call to religious life while in the eighth grade when Fr. Daniel Lord told her that she had a vocation.…
Lucille DeStefano, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Leo, Ridgway, PA
Sr. Lucille DeStefano, SSJ, was born in Ridgway, PA to the late Michael and Helen Delpozzo DeStefano. As a young girl, she was greatly influenced by the Sisters of St. Joseph as she observed their good works for members of the community in her home parish of St.…
Perpetua Dickant, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Leo, Ridgway, PA
Sister Perpetua Dickant, SSJ, was born in Ridgway, Pennsylvania. She received a bachelor’s in elementary education from Villa Maria College, Erie, in 1972. She participated in many seminars and workshops on early childhood education in Washington, DC, Richmond, VA, and Harrisburg, PA. Sr. Perpetua entered the Sisters of St.…
Phyllis DiFuccia, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Paula Marie
Home parish: St. Peter Cathedral, Erie, PA
Mary Drexler, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sr. Mary Kristen
Home parish: Sacred Heart, Erie, PA
André Feulner, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. George, Erie
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1955
Final Profession: 1961
Sister Andre Feulner recalls being influenced by Maryknoll magazine while in college. She felt a missionary call and went to the Sisters of St. Joseph, who were closer to home. She entered the Sisters of St.…
Nancy Fischer, SSJ
Sister
Entrance: September 1, 1968
Final profession: September 10, 1978
Home parish: St. John the Baptist, Erie, PA
Mary Helen Forney, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Mary of Angels, Olean, NY
Virginia Forney, was born in Olean, N.Y. After graduating from Olean High School in 1953, she felt an invitation to become a Sister and requested information from the Sisters of St. Joseph. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania from St. Mary of the Angels parish in Olean, NY, on September 2, 1954, and professed her final vows on August 15, 1960.…
Margaret Frank, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Immaculata
Home parish: St. Leo Ridgway, PA
Sister Margaret Frank, SSJ, was born in St. Marys, Pennsylvania. She graduated from St. Leo High School and Elementary School, Ridgway. She received an M.Ed. from Edinboro University, Edinboro, Pennsylvania, in 1974 and a BA from Villa Maria College, Erie in 1964.…
Mary Fromknecht, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Ann Raymond
Entrance: August 27, 1958
Final profession: August 15, 1966
Home parish: St. John the Baptist, Erie, PA
Linda Fusco, SSJ
Sister
Entrance: March 1, 1992
Final profession: September 22, 2001
Home parish: St. Joseph, Sharon, PA
Josette Gocella, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Bernard, Bradford, PA
Sister Josette Marie Gocella was born in Bradford, PA. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on September 8, 1954, from her home parish, St. Bernard, Bradford, Pennsylvania and professed her final vows on August 15, 1960. She received an MA in Religious Studies from the University of Chicago, an MA in English from Gannon University, Erie, and a BA in English from Villa Maria College, Erie.…
Margaret Ann Hardner, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Patrick, Erie, PA
An Erie native, Sister Margaret Ann Hardner attended St. Patrick School, Villa Maria Academy, and Villa Maria College, all in Erie, before attending Xavier University and Providence College. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Patrick’s parish on September 2, 1949, and she professed her final vows on August 15, 1955.…
Mary Herrmann, SSJ
Sister
Former Name: Sister Rosemary
Home Parish: St. Ann, Erie
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1960
Final Profession: 1968
From her earliest memories, Sr. Mary Herrmann felt a strong desire to be a Sister. When she started school with the Sisters of St.…
Susan Herzing, SSJ
Sister
Entrance: September 8, 1966
Final profession: September 15, 1974
Home parish: St. Mary, St. Marys, PA
Phyllis Hilbert, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Joseph Therese
Entrance: August 28, 1957
Final profession: August 15, 1965
Home parish: St. Luke, Erie, PA
Mary Carol Hoke, SSJ
Sister
Entrance: August 3, 1951
Final profession: August 15, 1957
Home parish: St. Brigid, Meadville, PA
Martha Howick, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Mary Walter
Home parish: St. Agatha, Meadville, PA
Ann Marie Joint, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister John Patrick
Home parish: St. Ann, Erie, PA
Mary Rita Kuhn, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Andrew, Erie
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1950
Final Profession: 1956
Encouraged by her 10th-grade religion teacher to do something special during Lent, a young Mary Rita Kuhn began attending daily Mass as often as possible. Today, Sr. Mary Rita Kuhn credits that prayer time and the examples set by the Sisters of St.…
Catherine Manning, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister James Miriam
Home parish: St. Bernard, Bradford, PA
Phyllis McCracken, SSJ
Sister
Entrance: August 29, 1971
Final profession: August 6, 1977
Home parish: St. Patrick, Erie, PA
Veronica Mittal, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Andrene
Entrance: August 28, 1957
Final profession: August 15, 1965
Home parish: Sacred Heart, Sharon, PA
Carol Morehouse, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Peter Cathedral, Erie, PA
Sister Carol Morehouse, SSJ, is a native of Erie, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Villa Maria Academy and Villa Marie College in 1971 with a BS degree in Elementary Education. She furthered her studies, earning a JD degree in Law from Duquesne University Law School in 1986. She entered the Sisters of St.…
Elizabeth Ann Niebauer, SSJ
Sister
Entrance: August 27, 1958
Final profession: August 15, 1966
Home parish: Blessed Sacrament, Erie, PA
Margaret O’Brien, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Mary Matthew
Home parish: St. Joseph, Oil City, PA
Rosemary O’Brien, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Cordelia
Entrance: August 27, 1958
Final profession: August 15, 1966
Home parish: St. Joseph, Oil City, PA
Margaret Pellerite, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Anthony Marie
Home parish: St. Francis, Clearfield, PA
Nancy Prenatt, SSJ
Sister
Formerly Sr. Ann Charles
Home Parish: St. Venantius, Rouseville, PA
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1965
Final Profession: 1972
When she was a senior in high school, Sister Nancy Prenatt felt a call to serve God and God’s people, but she fought the notion of entering the convent.…
Carmel Rojek, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Joseph Cupertino, Ellicott City, MD
Sister Carmel Rojek, SSJ, was born in Lackawanna, NY, and graduated from Lackawanna High School. She earned an Associate of Arts degree from Holyoke Community College and a bachelor’s degree in Science from the University of Massachusetts School of Nursing. Sr. Carmel was initially accepted into the Sisters of St.…
Maria Assumpta Ruza, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: Holy Family, Erie
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1955
Final Profession: 1961
Sister Maria Assumpta Ruza says she knew since second grade at Holy Family School that she wanted to be a Sister. The prayerfulness of the Franciscan Sisters in the school always impressed her, and one of the Sisters told her that she had the qualities to be a good Sister.…
Mary DePaul Sabella, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Philip, Crossingville, PA
Mary DePaul Sabella, SSJ, was born in Crossingville, PA. She attended Crossingville Grade School and received a religious education certificate from Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart in 1952. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph on August 15, 1945, from her home parish, St. Philip in Crossingville, PA, and professed her final vows in 1950.…
Angela Marie Servidea, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: Holy Rosary, Johnsonburg, PA
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1955
Final Profession: 1961
When I was in first grade at Holy Rosary School and throughout the years there, I had always felt a call to the convent. I was drawn to the Sisters, and I did not want to attend public school, but I had no alternative.…
Nancy Sonnenfeld, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Frederick Claire
Home parish: St. John the Baptist, Erie, PA
Marianne Stuckert, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Joanne
Entrance: August 30, 1967
Final profession: August 7, 1976
Home parish: Blessed Sacrament, Margate, NJ
Marie Timmons, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Louis Martin
Home parish: St. Andrew, Erie, PA
Stephanie Wagner, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: Immaculate Conception, Johnstown, PA
Entered Sisters of St. Joseph: 1951
Final Profession: 1956
It was during a high school vocational talk when Sr. Stephanie heard that God may be calling her. She discerned this thought for about a year and a half, and then realized she was being called to a life of religious service.…
Dorothy Wilwohl, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Edward Marie
Home parish: Holy Rosary, Erie, PA
Barbara Ann Zakutney, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Mary Zita
Home parish: Sacred Heart, Houtzdale, PA
