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.

Sr. Mary Rita’s call to religious life began with a simple invitation during her tenth-grade religion class. Her teacher encouraged the students to do something special during Lent, and Mary Rita decided to attend daily Mass as often as she could. That time of prayer, combined with the example of the Sisters of St. Joseph and their dedication to prayer and service, became the beginning of her vocation. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph from her home parish of St. Andrew in Erie in 1950 and professed her final vows in 1956.

Throughout her ministry, Sr. Mary Rita devoted herself to education and the formation of young people. She taught at Villa Maria Elementary, Sacred Heart, and St. Peter Cathedral schools in Erie, as well as St. Francis School in Clearfield and Our Lady of Peace School in Erie. She later served as principal at Our Lady of Peace and Our Lady’s Christian Schools and as administrator of Villa Maria Academy. In 1984, Bishop Michael J. Murphy appointed Sr. Mary Rita Vicar for Religious for the Diocese of Erie, a ministry she continued for many years. She also served on the Saint Vincent Health System Board of Corporators, the Gannon University Board of Trustees, and the National Conference of Vicars for Religious. In addition, she volunteered for many years at Saint Vincent Hospital.

Sr. Mary Rita’s years of service have been recognized through numerous honors, including the Gannon University Distinguished Alumni Award and the Serra Club Outstanding Religious Award. In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI bestowed upon her the Papal Cross pro Ecclesia et Pontifice in recognition of her service to the Church.

A passage that has continued to inspire Sr. Mary Rita throughout her vocation is Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John: “As the Father has loved me, so also I have loved you. Live on in my Love.” She sees this simple Gospel instruction as a reminder that God’s love flows from the Father to Jesus and then to each of us. She also finds this call reflected in the Constitutions of the Sisters of St. Joseph, particularly the call to love God and neighbor and to work toward “unity of neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God.”

When asked about the people whose faith has touched and guided her, Sr. Mary Rita reflects on the many people who have been part of her life: her family, the Sisters of St. Joseph, friends, parishioners, students, and those she has encountered throughout her many ministries. Rather than naming one person, she describes them collectively as “a beautiful mosaic of memories,” with each person leaving an impression that continues to guide her. She similarly sees the qualities of spirit, courage, and vision reflected not in just one Sister, but throughout her religious community. “I can look around the room and see the many women who, in a variety of ways, display these characteristics,” she says.

Now retired and residing at the Sisters’ Community Living Center, Sr. Mary Rita looks back on a lifetime of prayer, education, leadership, and service. The simple practice of attending daily Mass as a young woman opened her heart to a vocation that would lead her into decades of ministry and a lifelong commitment to loving God and neighbor.