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Marjorie Adams, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Agatha
Home Parish: St. John the Evangelist, Girard, PA
Sister Marjorie Adams, SSJ, formerly Sister Agatha, was born in Girard, PA. She attended North Girard Grade School and Rice Avenue Union High School before attending Villa Maria College in Erie. It was during her time at Villa Maria that she first became acquainted with religious life and began to discern God’s call.…
Clare Marie Beichner, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Michael, Fryburg, PA
Sister Clare Marie Beichner, SSJ, was born in Shippenville, Pennsylvania, to Bernard J. Beichner and Bernice M. (Weaver) Beichner. She grew up in a large family with six sisters and three brothers, where faith and family support played an important role in shaping her life. She attended St.…
Ann Marie Cappello, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Francetta
Home parish: Sacred Heart, Erie, PA
Sister Ann Marie Cappello (formerly Sister Francetta) first felt the stirrings of a religious vocation when she was in grade school. Her family lived in the same neighborhood as Sacred Heart Convent and School in Erie, where the Sisters of St.…
Josephine DePetro, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Mary Anthony
Home Parish: Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Bradford, PA
Sister Josephine DePetro first heard about the possibility of a vocation to religious life when she was in eighth grade. During that time, Father Daniel Lord told her that she had a vocation. Although she initially pushed the thought aside, she began praying for guidance about what God was calling her to do.…
Lucille DeStefano, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Leo, Ridgway, PA
Born in Ridgway, Pennsylvania, Sister Lucille DeStefano, SSJ, was introduced to the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph at an early age. Growing up in St. Leo Parish, she was deeply influenced by the Sisters’ kindness and dedication to their neighbors.
“I know it was the neighborliness of the Sisters of St.…
Perpetua Dickant, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Leo, Ridgway, PA
Sr. Perpetua Dickant, SSJ, was born in Ridgway, PA, to the late John and Susan Dickant. From the time she started first grade at St. Leo School, she was fascinated by the Sisters of St. Joseph and deeply influenced by their kindness, compassion, selflessness, and dedication. She entered the Sisters of St.…
Phyllis DiFuccia, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Paula Marie
Home parish: St. Peter Cathedral, Erie, PA
Sister Phyllis DiFuccia, SSJ first recognized her call to religious life through a moment of reflection on New Year’s Day. After spending the previous night at a party, she attended Mass and found herself wondering, “Is this all there is?” She felt called to something “more,” a desire that eventually led her to the Sisters of St.…
Claudia Dombrowski, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: Blessed Sacrament, Erie, PA
Sister Claudia Dombrowski, SSJ, was born in Erie, PA, to the late Harry and Joan (Bronakowski) Dombrowski. Her call to religious life began during her high school years, when she was inspired by the example of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Through her involvement in Church activities and her work as a catechist, she came to know several Sisters more personally and began to recognize the ways God was leading and directing her life.…
Mary Drexler, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sr. Mary Kristen
Home Parish: Sacred Heart, Erie, PA
Sister Mary Drexler first heard the call to religious life at a very young age. Growing up, she was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph at Sacred Heart School and Villa Maria Academy. She was drawn to the Sisters not only because of their teaching but also because of who they were and how they served others.…
André Feulner, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. George, Erie
Sister André Feulner first began to consider religious life while she was in her second year of college. At the time, she was greatly influenced by Maryknoll magazine and felt drawn to a missionary vocation. She eventually realized that she could live out that call by entering the Sisters of St.…
Nancy Fischer, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. John the Baptist, Erie, PA
Sister Nancy Fischer, SSJ, has devoted her religious life to education, pastoral ministry, and service to the Diocese of Erie. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, on January 14, 1950, her educational journey included St. John the Baptist School, Villa Maria Academy, Villa Maria College, and La Salle University.…
Mary Helen Forney, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Mary of Angels, Olean, NY
Sister Mary Helen Forney, SSJ, was born in Olean, NY, and graduated from Olean High School in 1953. From an early age, her parish played an important role in nurturing her faith and helping her recognize a call to religious life. She entered the Sisters of St.…
Margaret Frank, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Immaculata
Home parish: St. Leo Ridgway, PA
Sister Margaret Frank felt a call to religious life late in her senior year of high school. She had been taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph throughout grade school and high school and was inspired by the peace and joy they brought to their ministry.…
Mary Fromknecht, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Ann Raymond
Home Parish: St. John the Baptist, Erie, PA
Sr. Mary Fromknecht, SSJ, was drawn to religious life at a young age through the example of the Sisters of St. Joseph who taught her for twelve years. As she reflected on the Gospel of John, particularly Jesus’ words to Peter, “Do you love me?” and “Feed my sheep,” she gradually came to understand these words as a call to live out her Baptismal commitment through a life of service within the Church.…
Linda Fusco, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Joseph, Sharon, PA
Sister Linda Fusco felt drawn to God’s call throughout her life, although it took time for her to fully recognize where that call would lead. Born in New York City, she was baptized and received her first sacraments at St. Ann’s Parish. In 1966, her family moved to Farrell, Pennsylvania, where she graduated from Farrell Area High School.…
Josette Gocella, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Bernard, Bradford, PA
Sister Josette Marie Gocella first sensed a call to religious life as a young teenager. Although she did not initially identify it as a “call,” she felt a persistent pull toward religious life that continued throughout her high school years. She even asked God to let her experience falling in love so she could know what she was choosing to give up.…
Michele Healy, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Leo, Ridgway, PA
Sister Michele Healy first heard the call to religious life while riding a bus home to Ridgway during her college years. As a student at Clarion University, she regularly traveled by bus between school and home, and on one of those trips she met Sister Teresina Onofrio, SSJ, who was traveling to her home in Bradford.…
Mary Herrmann, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Rosemary
Home Parish: St. Ann, Erie
Sister Mary Herrmann (formerly Sister Rosemary) was born in Erie, PA to Leo & Elizabeth Herrmann. She felt a desire to become a Sister from her earliest memories. When she began attending school, she knew that she wanted to become a Sister of St.…
Susan Herzing, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Mary’s, St. Marys, PA
Sister Susan Herzing, SSJ
Sister Susan Herzing, SSJ, is known for her healing hands as a massage therapist and her lifelong commitment to serving others through education, pastoral ministry, and community life. Born on July 11, 1945, in St. Marys, Pennsylvania, she entered the Sisters of St.…
Phyllis Hilbert, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Joseph Therese
Home Parish: St. Luke, Erie, PA
Sister Phyllis Hilbert, SSJ, (formerly Sister Joseph Therese) has dedicated her life to serving others, inspired by the example of her parents, Joseph (Tex), a police officer, and Mary, a nurse. Their commitment to caring for those in need, along with the influence of the Sisters of St.…
Mary Carol Hoke, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Brigid, Meadville, PA
Before entering the Sisters of St. Joseph, Sister Mary Carol Hoke spent four and a half years working as a secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Highways. During those years, she attended daily Mass and received Communion regularly, and it was during this time that she began to recognize a call to religious life.…
Martha Howick, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Mary Walter
Home Parish: St. Agatha, Meadville, PA
Sister Martha Howick, SSJ (formerly Sister Mary Walter), has devoted her life to education, parish ministry, and sharing the gifts of faith with others. Born on May 8, 1936, in Meadville, Pennsylvania, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Agatha Parish in her hometown on August 27, 1959.…
Ann Marie Joint, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister John Patrick
Home Parish: St. Ann, Erie, PA
Sister Ann Marie Joint, SSJ, formerly Sr. John Patrick, first considered religious life in seventh and eighth grade, although she initially tried to ignore the possibility. The thought returned during her junior and senior years of high school. During that time, she was particularly impressed by the joy she saw in her teachers.…
Marie Stephen Kebort, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Brigid, Meadville, PA
Sister Marie Stephen Kebort, SSJ, has devoted her life to education and faith formation, serving generations of students and parishioners with dedication, compassion, and a joyful spirit. Born on July 18, 1938, in Meadville, Pennsylvania, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Brigid Parish in her hometown on August 29, 1956.…
Mary Rita Kuhn, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Andrew’s, Erie
Sister Mary Rita Kuhn, SSJ, formerly Ann Kuhn, was born in Erie, PA, to the late Francis and Margaret C. (Hogan) Kuhn. She attended Villa Maria Elementary School, Villa Maria Academy, and Villa Maria College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She later earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Gannon University and pursued additional studies in elementary and secondary education at Duquesne University.…
Catherine Manning, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister James Miriam
Home Parish: St. Bernard, Bradford, PA
Sister Catherine Manning, SSJ, has devoted her life to education, healthcare, and service to the Church, guided by a deep faith and a lifelong commitment to her vocation. She first encountered the Sisters of St. Joseph when her family moved to Bradford, Pennsylvania, and she began second grade at St.…
Frances Therese Matia, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: Sacred Heart, Houtzdale, PA
Sister Frances Therese Matia, SSJ, has devoted her life to education and religious formation, helping children and parish communities grow in faith. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1958 and professed her final vows in 1966.
Sister Frances Therese earned a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Villa Maria College in Erie in 1966.…
Phyllis McCracken, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Patrick, Erie, PA
Sister Phyllis McCracken, SSJ, was born in Meadville, PA, to Robert and Pauline Snyder McCracken. After graduating from Franklin High School in Franklin, PA, she attended Spencer School of Nursing and Villa Maria College, earning a Diploma RN and BSN degree. She also received an MS in Nursing Services Administration from Boston University.…
Veronica Mittal, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Andrene
Home Parish: Sacred Heart, Sharon, PA
Sister Veronica Mittal, SSJ, formerly known as Sister Andrene, has devoted her life to education, compassionate service, and living out the values of kindness and generosity. Born in Masury, Ohio, to Andrew and Mary (Dacey) Mittal, she attended Sacred Heart School in Sharon, Pennsylvania, before graduating from Brookfield High School in Brookfield, Ohio.…
Carol Morehouse, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Peter Cathedral, Erie, PA
Sister Carol Morehouse, SSJ, is a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, and entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from St. Peter Cathedral Parish in Erie in 1974. Her vocation has been marked by a deep commitment to education, ministry, service, and leadership, allowing her to serve the Church and community in a variety of ways throughout her life as a Sister of St.…
Elizabeth Ann Niebauer, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: Blessed Sacrament, Erie, PA
Sister Elizabeth Ann Niebauer, SSJ, has dedicated her life to education, accounting, and financial administration, serving schools, healthcare institutions, and community organizations with care and professionalism. Her ministry has combined a commitment to learning with a desire to help others, guided by her faith and the example of those who have influenced her life.…
Margaret O’Brien, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Mary Matthew
Home Parish: St. Joseph, Oil City, PA
Sister Margaret O’Brien, SSJ, formerly known as Sister Mary Matthew, has devoted her life to education and healthcare, serving children and older adults with compassion and dedication. From her early desire to become a Sister of St. Joseph to her many years ministering to the elderly, she has remained committed to her vocation and to sharing the congregation’s charism of being “neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God.”
Sister Margaret was born on March 21, 1937, in Oil City, Pennsylvania.…
Rosemary O’Brien, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Cordelia
Home Parish: St. Joseph, Oil City, PA
Sister Rosemary O’Brien, SSJ, has dedicated her life to education, pastoral ministry, spiritual formation, and accompanying others in their faith journeys. Through her years of service in schools, parishes, and the leadership of the Sisters of St. Joseph, she has helped individuals and communities deepen their relationship with God and recognize the connections that unite all people.…
Colette Palmer, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: Sacred Heart, Erie, PA
Sister Colette Palmer, SSJ, has devoted her life to serving others through education, community ministry, and pastoral care. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from Sacred Heart Parish in Erie, Pennsylvania, on August 27, 1959, and professed final vows on August 15, 1967.
Sister Colette’s educational background includes studies at Sacred Heart and Villa Maria Academy, followed by further education at Villa Maria College.…
Margaret Pellerite, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Anthony Marie
Home Parish: St. Francis, Clearfield, PA
Sister Margaret Pellerite, SSJ, formerly known as Sister Anthony Marie, has dedicated her life to education and service, inspiring generations of students through her commitment to teaching and faith. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1958 and professed final vows in 1966.…
Nancy Prenatt, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sr. Ann Charles
Home Parish: St. Venantius, Rouseville, PA
Sister Nancy Prenatt, formerly Sister Ann Charles, first felt a call to serve God and God’s people when she was a senior in high school. Although she sensed this call, she initially fought the idea of entering the convent.…
Carmel Rojek, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Joseph Cupertino, Ellicott City, MD
Sister Carmel Rojek, SSJ, was born and raised in Lackawanna, New York, near Buffalo, and graduated from Lackawanna High School. She first encountered the Sisters of St. Joseph through religious education classes at Our Lady of Victory Basilica. Although she initially explored religious life with the Sisters of St.…
Mary DePaul Sabella, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Philip, Crossingville, PA
Sister Mary DePaul Sabella, SSJ, was born in Crossingville, Pennsylvania, on August 29, 1927, the daughter of Joseph and Caroline Galovich Sabella. She grew up in a happy, Christian home where faith was an important part of family life. Although there was no Catholic school in her community, religious instruction during the summer and weekly classes helped strengthen the faith she learned at home.…
Angela Marie Servidea, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: Holy Rosary, Johnsonburg, PA
Sister Angela Marie Servidea first felt a call to religious life when she was in first grade at Holy Rosary School in Johnsonburg. Throughout her years there, she was drawn to the Sisters and often thought about becoming a Sister herself. She remembers that she did not want to attend public school, although she had no alternative.…
Nancy Sonnenfeld, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Frederick Claire
Home Parish: St. John the Baptist, Erie, PA
Sister Nancy Sonnenfeld, SSJ, formerly known as Sister Frederick Claire, is a woman of intelligence and creativity. She has combined her appreciation for nature with her interest in technology, developing a particular passion for photography and her artistic work has earned medals at various contests and events.…
Ann Stephanie Stano, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. Stanislaus, Erie, PA
Sister Ann Stephanie Stano, SSJ, has devoted her life to education, serving as a student, teacher, mentor, administrator, and educational consultant. She attended Villa Maria Elementary School, Villa Maria Academy, and Villa Maria College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.
Sister Ann Stephanie’s call to religious life began during her high school years at Villa Maria Academy.…
Marianne Stuckert, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Joanne
Home parish: Blessed Sacrament, Margate, NJ
Sister Marianne Stuckert, formerly known as Sister Joanne, has devoted her life to education, service, and the pursuit of peace and justice. Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1967 from Blessed Sacrament Parish in Margate, New Jersey, after completing her junior year as a chemistry major at Villa Maria College in Erie, Pennsylvania.…
Moira Sullivan, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: Holy Rosary, Johnsonburg, PA
Sister Moira Sullivan, SSJ, was born in Johnsonburg, Pennsylvania, to William H. and Elsie Penfield Sullivan. She attended Holy Rosary School and Johnsonburg Area Joint School before continuing her education at Villa Maria College in Erie. It was during her college years that Sister Moira began to seriously consider a call to religious life—a call she initially resisted.…
Jude Marie Talerico, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Bernard, Bradford, PA
Sister Jude Marie Talerico, SSJ, has devoted her life to education, caring for others, and sharing her faith with those around her. Raised in a family whose faith and generosity helped shape her vocation, she felt a connection to the Sisters of St. Joseph from an early age.…
Marie Timmons, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Louis Martin
Home Parish: St. Andrew, Erie, PA
Sister Marie Timmons, SSJ, formerly known as Sister Louis Martin, has devoted her life to education, religious formation, and preserving the history of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, she attended St. Andrew School and Villa Maria Academy before earning a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Villa Maria College.…
Ricarda Vincent, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: St. Andrew, Erie, PA
Sister Ricarda Vincent, SSJ, was born Shirley Vincent in Erie, Pennsylvania, on December 29, 1931. She grew up in the St. Andrew Parish community and graduated from Strong Vincent High School in 1949. From an early age, Sister Ricarda was drawn to the spiritual life. She remembers being attracted to the quiet of the church and to the sense that somehow God was present there.…
Stephanie Wagner, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: Immaculate Conception, Johnstown, PA
It was during her junior year of high school, during a vocation talk, that Sister Stephanie Wagner first began to wonder if God might be calling her to religious life. A Sister of Charity told the students, “Some of you are being selfish with God and He may be calling you.” Sister Stephanie carried those words with her, prayerfully discerning them for about a year and a half before realizing that she was indeed being called.…
Mary Ann White, SSJ
Sister
Home parish: Our Lady of Fatima, Farrell, PA
Sister Mary Ann White, SSJ, felt an immediate sense of comfort when she came to the Sisters of St. Joseph, even though she initially could not explain why. As she studied the history of the Congregation and its foundational documents, she came to recognize that what had drawn her to the Sisters was their charism of unity—the unity of neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God.…
Dorothy Wilwohl, SSJ
Sister
Former religious name: Sister Edward Marie
Home parish: Holy Rosary, Erie, PA
Sister Dorothy Wilwohl, SSJ, formerly Sister Edward Marie, recalls that her early years were shaped by daily Mass, evening devotions, and school at Holy Rosary Parish in Erie. While attending Academy High School, she remained active in parish life. With the encouragement and prayerful support of a Sister of St.…
Barbara Ann Zakutney, SSJ
Sister
Former Religious Name: Sister Mary Zita
Home Parish: Sacred Heart, Houtzdale, PA
Sister Barbara Ann Zakutney, SSJ, formerly Sister Mary Zita, was born in Houtzdale, Pennsylvania, on July 15, 1934, to Stephen and Elizabeth Susko Zakutney. She attended Houtzdale Woodward School before continuing her education at Villa Maria College in Erie, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 1964.…
Millicent Zimmer, SSJ
Sister
Home Parish: St. John the Baptist Parish, Erie, Pennsylvania
Sister Millicent Zimmer, SSJ has devoted her life to serving others through education, religious formation, pastoral ministry, and administrative work. She attended St. John’s Elementary School and Villa Maria Academy before entering the Sisters of St. Joseph on August 30, 1953.
Sister Millicent earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Villa Maria College in 1968 and a Master of Arts degree in Theology from St.…
