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Frances Therese Matia, SSJ
SisterBiography
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. Throughout her ministry, she served in a variety of educational and community settings, including St. Patrick School and Holy Rosary School in Erie, Holy Rosary School in Johnsonburg, St. Michael School in Erie, and St. Francis School in Clearfield. She also ministered at St. Joseph Orphanage and Erie Day Nursery, serving children and families in the community.
In 1986, Sister Frances Therese began serving as director of religious education at St. Leo Parish in Ridgway, a position she held until 1997. That year, she became director of religious education at St. Callistus Parish in Kane, where she has continued her ministry of faith formation and service.
Sister Frances Therese credits her vocation in large part to the example of her parents, who were devoted practicing Catholics. Her family attended Mass together, received the Sacrament of Reconciliation monthly, prayed the Stations of the Cross, and recited the Rosary. These shared expressions of faith helped shape her spiritual life and prepare her to recognize God’s call.
Having attended public school, Sister Frances Therese had limited early contact with religious communities. Each summer, a Sister from Pittsburgh visited her area for a week to teach religion and prepare children to receive the sacraments. Later, her guidance counselor, Miss Genevieve Brunovsky, organized a trip for a group of girls to Erie, where they visited the beach, the Cathedral, and local convents. That experience introduced Sister Frances Therese to convent life and prompted her to consider religious life more seriously. After returning home from Mass one Sunday, she raised the possibility of entering the convent with her parents. Following discussion, the family decided to explore the possibility further.
Today, Sister Frances Therese continues to draw strength and inspiration from her daily participation in the Eucharist. She is especially moved by the hymn “What Wondrous Love,” which reminds her of God’s love and the faith-filled years she shared with her family. She also finds inspiration in the words of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, “My God, I love You,” and in 1 John 3:19: “When we love others, we know that we belong to the truth, and we feel at ease in the presence of God.”
Through decades of teaching, community service, and religious education, Sister Frances Therese has remained faithful to her vocation, sharing her love of God and helping others deepen their own faith.
