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. During their conversations, Sister Teresina shared about the Sisters of St. Joseph and religious life. Sister Michele was deeply impressed by what she heard, and those conversations helped her recognize a call that would shape the rest of her life. A native of St. Leo Parish in Ridgway, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1961 and professed her final vows in 1969.

Sister Michele attended West Ridgway and Ridgway Area Joint High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in education from Villa Maria College. She continued her education with a master’s degree in theology from St. Bonaventure University and a master’s degree in sacred Scripture from St. Michael’s College in Winooski, Vermont. She also pursued studies at Rutgers University, Penn State, the University of Notre Dame, and St. John’s University.

Education became a central part of Sister Michele’s ministry. She taught at St. Andrew, St. John, Villa Maria Elementary, and Villa Maria Academy in Erie, as well as Notre Dame in Hermitage and Elk County Catholic in St. Marys. She later served as a religious education coordinator at St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Erie before beginning her ministry in higher education. She taught theology at Villa Maria College and Gannon University and served in the Erie Diaconate Program, sharing her knowledge and love of Scripture with students preparing for ministry.

Sister Michele also played an important role in the early development of the Sisters of St. Joseph Associate Program, serving as its director for three years. She served on the board of Housing and Neighborhood Development Service (HANDS), a nonprofit organization that assists people with housing needs. Her ministry has continued to include accompaniment and presence, including her work with seniors at Villa Maria Apartments.

Throughout her years as a Sister of St. Joseph, Sister Michele has been inspired by many people, but she holds a special place in her heart for Sister Virginia Ann Gardner, SSJ. Sister Michele describes her as a “wisdom figure” who had a gift for words and writing and who embodied the qualities of “Women of Spirit, Courage and Vision.” Sister Virginia Ann’s life and example reflected the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph and inspired the many people who knew or learned from her.

Sister Michele also finds inspiration in Scripture, particularly Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd.” The words “You guide me along the right path” and “I will dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come” have special meaning for her. She is equally drawn to Psalm 8 and its reflection on creation. Growing up among the hills of Ridgway and the small trout streams of Glen Hazel, where her family had a camp near the East Branch Dam, Sister Michele developed a deep appreciation for nature. The Psalm’s wonder at the heavens and the place of humanity within God’s creation continues to speak to her faith.

From the chance encounter on a bus that first opened her heart to religious life, Sister Michele has spent more than six decades sharing her gifts through education, Scripture, formation, and presence. Her ministry reflects the same spirit she first encountered in Sister Teresina—a willingness to share faith, accompany others, and help them recognize God’s presence in their own lives.