NC - spring 2022

SISTERS OF
THE HOLY
FAMILY OF
NAZARETH //
VOL. 16 //
NO 1 //
SPRING 2022
Nazareth
CONNECTIONS
FAMILY IS THE HEART OF OUR MISSION
Finding Nazareth
in Ukraine
STORY BEGINS ON PAGE 6

MESSAGE FROM THE PROVINCIAL SUPERIOR
Dear Friends of Nazareth,
As we celebrate Holy Week, I recall
two key figures from the Way of the
Cross, a devotion Catholics have
observed for over a thousand years:
Veronica, and Simon of Cyrene.
As tradition holds, Veronica
witnessed a mission of mercy.
Overcome with compassion, she
courageously approached the
bleeding, suffering Jesus to offer
a moment of tender respite,
acknowledging His dignity and
tending to His bleeding face with
her veil. This courageous act of
mercy was rewarded in that, as the
tradition holds, after receiving her
veil back from Jesus, an imprint of
His face remained.
Simon, an innocent bystander in
town for the Passover with his sons,
was pulled from the crowd to help
a physically struggling Jesus. Having
no relation to Jesus but being in the
same place at the same time, he
found himself in this situation and
assisted in carrying the burden of a
complete stranger. His reward was
that of walking skin to skin, feeling
the brokenness of our Lord, and
alleviating the weight of the unjust
burden placed upon Him.
Both of these figures saw the
struggle of a tortured Christ. Both
courageously accepted their role
and offered mercy, strength, and
compassion.
In this issue of Nazareth Connections,
I see the themes of individuals who
courageously respond in compassion
to those in need. I see the dedicated
witness of our sisters in education
and healthcare, who led and continue
to lead their schools and healthcare
facilities during some of the most
trying, current times. I see the heroic
witness of our sisters who have
gone before us and their courage
and tenacity to preach the love and
mercy of Jesus Christ. I see the
compassionate witness of our sisters
who every day reecho through words
and prayers the inherent dignity
and identity of every human being
as a child of God. I see the mercy
in our Nazareth Volunteer Corps,
which continues to serve our local
communities’ needs actively, and the
faithful love of our staff, benefactors,
and friends who have tended to the
needs of our sisters.
Most notably, however, I see the
heroic witness of our sisters working
and living in Ukraine and those
serving in Poland. The cross with
which they endure and assist at any
given moment is that of a modernday
Veronica and Simon. From their
courage, mercy, and compassion, they
have been impressed with the face of
a suffering Christ.
As Lent comes to an end, I invite you
to reflect on the figures of Veronica
and Simon, and ask God to open our
eyes, hearts, and actions so that we
may courageously show compassion
to the suffering Christ in our lives.
May you have a blessed and
joyous Easter.
In the Holy Family,
Sr. Kathleen Maciej
HOW ARE YOU CALLED TO LOVE?
We invite you to pray with us, to listen to God’s call with us, and to love with
us as we strive to recognize God in ordinary experiences. Learn more about
our community life, our ministries, and our mission at nazarethcsfn.org/join-us.
Or contact Sr. Emmanuela Le, CSFN, National Vocation Director,
at 972-641-4496 ext. 111 or vocations@nazarethcsfn.org.
2

4
VOLUME 16 //
NO 1 //
SPRING 2022
12
Nazareth Connections is published
three times a year by the Sisters
of the Holy Family of Nazareth
in the USA.
6
Editor:
Rachel Neubauer
Proofreaders:
Sr. Mary Ellen Gemmell
Sr. Lucille Madura
Amanda Giarratano
Contents
SERVICE CORPS
4-5 Coming Together
in Service
MISSION
6-9 Finding Nazareth
in Ukraine
MINISTRY
10 2020 Golden Apple
Award
11 A “True Connelly
Moment”
12-13 My Today’s
Unknown Is in God’s Hand
REFLECTION
14-16 Divine Mercy
IN MEMORIAM
17 Sr. M. Consolata Pylilo
DEVELOPMENT
18 Oktoberfest in the
Spring
19 Prayer Remembrance
Program
14
ON THE COVER:
One of the Nazareth Sisters
serving in Ukraine stops to take
a bite to eat.
Editorial Board:
Sr. Angela Szczawinska
Sr. Barbara Frances Samp
Sr. Carol Szott
Sr. Jude Carroll
Sr. Kathleen Ann Stadler
Sr. Lucille Madura
Sr. Marcelina Mikulska
Sr. Marcella Louise Wallowicz
Sr. Mary Louise Swift
Sr. Teresilla Kolodziejczyk
Katherine Barth
Design/Print:
McDaniels Marketing
Questions, comments, suggestions?
Please contact:
Communications Department
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
310 N. River Road
Des Plaines, IL 60016
847-298-6760, ext. 144
communications@nazarethcsfn.org
nazarethcsfn.org
facebook.com/csfn.usa
twitter.com/csfn_usa
instagram.com/csfn.usa
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
3

SERVICE CORPS
Coming Together in Service
Spreading the love of Nazareth has
a way of bringing people together.
The Holy Family Service Corps, a
program created by the Holy Family
Institute in Pittsburgh, PA, sees this
firsthand every day.
Designed with the idea of bringing
young people together to volunteer
in educational and social service
programs in the Greater Pittsburgh
region, the Service Corps has seen
young men and women of differing
backgrounds and faiths come
together with the shared mission
of reaching out with the love of
Nazareth in their hearts.
“The Service Corps has seen young men and women
of differing backgrounds and faiths come together
with the shared mission of reaching out with the
love of Nazareth in their hearts.”
The Service Corps is a program that
allows young people “to serve in
the way they feel called to serve,”
as director Lynn Guerra puts it.
The Corps members often use their
talents and education to reach out
to members of their community who
need a helping hand.
Lynn has been involved with the
Service Corps since 2016. At the
time of its inception, it was simply
a service organization, but with
time and dedication, it has grown
so much more. Today, the Service
Corps offers the Nazareth Year
program, in which a participant
4

experiences 11 months of service
opportunities, academic mentorship,
and job coaching. Participants accept
an assignment where their talents
can best be utilized, such as positions
at Holy Family Manor or Nazareth
Prep. The program also offers
Holy Family Teaching Fellows and
Holy Family Social Service Fellows
tracks. This allows students working
towards earning tuition-free master’s
degrees at Duquesne University or
Carlow University in education or
social service to become involved
in real-world experience in these
fields. Some participants even find a
career home in Nazareth once their
program has finished.
During their term of service, the
students live together and enjoy
fellowship, gathering for prayer at
least once weekly, sharing a dinner
prepared by each student in turn,
and engaging in a weekly community
night activity. When time allows,
they enjoy weekend activities such
as group bike rides and sledding trips.
Though the program is governed by
the Holy Family Institute, students
from all walks of life are invited
to apply, bringing into the Service
Corps people from varying
backgrounds and faiths. Together,
they find a sense of community in
their shared call to service.
Though the pandemic years have
seen a slowing of applicants to the
program, Lynn is confident that
the coming academic year will see
an upswing in participation. Many
students returned home from campus
due to safety concerns. University
career fairs were often put on hold,
but have slowly been returning,
leading to many new opportunities
for the Nazareth family to grow.
Lynn’s hope for the future is that
five new participants embark on the
spiritual journey of service that the
Service Corps can provide.
Members of the 2021-2022 Holy Family
Service Corps (HFSC) team.
Lunch with Mother Mary Ann as HFSC
retreats with the Benedictine Sisters in
Greensburg, PA.
Artwork project led by Sr. Michele
Vincent Fisher, CSFN showing how the
members have grown.
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
5

6
MISSION

Finding Nazareth
in Ukraine
Editor’s Note: The following
article uses excerpts from the
General Administration letters
on the War in Ukraine (1 & 2)
found on nazarethfamily.org and
interviews conducted by Sr. Angela
Sczawinska, CSFN.
It’s 8:00 p.m. Kyiv time, and the
Sisters of the Holy Family of
Nazareth log into their phones and
computers to begin their evening
rosary. Awaiting them on the
other side of the screen are over a
hundred of their fellow sisters, family
members, friends, and acquaintances
from Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Italy,
France, and USA (and several others
depending on the day), joining them
in prayer for their evening rosary. “It
[praying the rosary in community]
gives me strength,” said one sister
living and serving in Ukraine. “The
notion that every day there are
missiles flying over our home, yet
there are so many people willing to
help, and so many people who pray
for us,” she added.
Nazareth Sisters stop to pray as they
seek safe shelter in a nearby basement.
“Our situation is quite dynamic. We
do not know what the next day or
the next night will bring. Therefore,
we try to live from hour to hour,”
said another sister living in Ukraine.
continued on next page...
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
7

At night, the sisters sleep in the
basements of monasteries and
churches, for they feel it is safer.
Many of the Nazareth sisters living
and working in Ukraine spend their
days tending to the growing needs
of families, children, and refugees as
they cooperate with humanitarian
efforts. One sister who helps with
humanitarian efforts commented on
the value she finds from her work
bringing food and supplies to hungry
children at orphanages, boarding
houses, and hospitals. “It greatly
fortifies me,” she said.
When the invasion of Ukraine began,
one of the Nazareth sister’s convents
was forced to evacuate. These sisters
are currently working alongside
the sisters in Poland assisting with
“I realized I have grown stronger in the realization
that this is my country, for which I am willing to
work hard in order to help bring back peace and help
those who need it now.”
the needs of a growing number of
refugees. Some sisters help with
translations and finding housing, some
help in orphanages, some distribute
goods, and others help with a
listening ear and an open heart.
As an international congregation,
the Sisters of the Holy Family of
Nazareth continue to offer support.
As General Superior Sr. Angela
Mazzeo relayed, “Our first and most
powerful response to this crisis has
been prayer. In every country where
our sisters are present, there are
intense prayers being offered for
the end of war, even as far away
as Australia and the Philippines.
Many are praying the Rosary; many
Masses are being celebrated. Holy
Hours and all-night prayer vigils are
being held, and sisters gather daily
with co-workers and students to
pray for peace.”
Some of the Nazareth communities
have even offered their homes to
refugees. Others who are unable to
8

open their housing are purchasing
items such as food and bedding for
those who have fled. Many of the
sisters are volunteering in refugee
housing centers. Some have begun
language classes, while others have
opened their classrooms in schools
for new students. Some sisters are
helping mothers of families whose
husbands remain behind to defend
their country to find employment
and permanent residences.
In the United States, many schools
and places of employment served
by the Nazareth sisters have held
fundraisers to raise money for the
sisters’ Ukrainian Relief Fund, which
supports the growing needs of the
sisters in Ukraine and Poland and
their outreach to Ukrainian refugees.
One of the sisters living in Ukraine
commented, “You asked what this
situation means to me. I realized I
have grown stronger in the realization
that this is my country, for which I
am willing to work hard in order to
help bring back peace and help those
who need it now… I am grateful for
the openness of the people, not only
Ukrainians but also those who love
Ukraine and sympathize with Ukraine
in pain.” She closes her comment
with this story that highlights the
steadfast spirit and faith of the
Ukrainian people. “The alarms go off,
sometimes more often, sometimes
less often. I was just at Mass when
the alarm rang. It was in the middle of
that Mass, right after the homily. The
priest announced that it is an alarm,
and whoever wishes can leave and go
to the shelter. Nobody left. Everyone
stayed in the church.”
A Nazareth Sister driving to bring
supplies to families in need.
Nazareth Sisters serving in Ukraine
eating dinner in community while
seeking shelter in a parish basement.
A Nazareth Sister working with
volunteers to collect food and supplies
for people in need.
A Nazareth Sister adding kindling to
keep the basement warm.
We invite you to continue joining us in praying for peace and
safety for all those in Ukraine and those helping the refugees. If
you wish to donate to the sisters’ Ukrainian Relief Fund, please
visit our Facebook page or view the details on the back cover of
this publication.
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
9

MINISTRY
2020 Golden
Apple Award
2020 Golden Apple Award
10
Sr. Daniela Bronka, principal of St.
Bede School in Pittsburgh, PA, was
honored to be recognized with
the 2020 Golden Apple award,
which recognizes excellence and
commitment to values within
leadership and teaching in the
parochial school system. Due to
health and safety concerns that
caused a delay in the presentation of
the award in 2020, Sr. Daniela was
recently able to accept the inscribed
Golden Apple as a tangible reminder
of her hard work!
Sr. Daniela has been the principal
of St. Bede since 2018, having
previously served as the principal
at St. Bernard School in Pittsburgh.
She firmly believes learning is a
lifelong experience — even for
school administrators! In 2019, Sr.
Daniela began attending the National
Institute for School Leaders to learn
about new trends in education and
how best to implement them at
St. Bede to benefit the faculty and
students alike.
“I think the most important thing is
to approach each student individually
and be prepared to develop new ways
that help students be active learners.
What may work for one student may
not necessarily work for another,”
Sr. Daniela stated. “Knowing the
students that we teach is what is
most important.”
Sr. Daniela finds inspiration from the
many Nazareth Sisters who have
worked in education, such as Sr. John
Domalik, Sr. Mary Ellen Gemmell, Sr.
Mary Joan Jacobs, Sr. Jeanette Lawlor,
Sr. Mary Anthony Lovezzola, and Sr.
Francesca Onley, as well as Mother
Foundress, Blessed Mary of Jesus
the Good Shepherd. “All that I do is
what our Mother Foundress wanted:
serve the families. Being a principal
is not just running the school but
also recognizing the spiritual aspect.
I am always open to our families
and assist them whenever they
need me. Sometimes, it’s just simple
conversation, sometimes it is a prayer
request, and sometimes it is helping
out those in need,” she commented.
Being awarded the Golden Apple is
an incredible recognition. However,
for Sr. Daniela, the highest honor
comes from the families she serves.
“The biggest reward is the kids.
Simple smiles or a hug in the hallway,
or a wave. I love when they come
to the office just to say hello!
COVID brought a lot of challenges
for everyone, including faculty and
students. We know that we are all
in this together and we are working
hard for our children. They are the
reason I love what I do,” she said.

A “True Connelly
Moment”
THE NEXT GENERATION
by Sr. Maria Annette Mallen
On my way into work the other
morning, I came across this
“Blest” moment. Joe Connelly’s
granddaughter was pitching in to help
open an electronic gate access to the
campus of Holy Family University.
We already know that Joe and his
three sons, Joseph Jr., Brian, and
Dylan, have a work ethic beyond
belief. Now it looks like Joe and Dylan
have passed it on. This little lady is
eager to work hard.
Joe, of Landscaping Maintenance
& Snowplowing Inc., has been a
dedicated supporter of the Sisters of
the Holy Family of Nazareth for many
years. He has supported many of our
CSFN socials, our family and friends
events, golf outings for Holy Family
University, and so much more. When
I saw the “next generation” (Victoria)
so determined to pitch in, it brought
a smile to my face. We love your
dedication, example, and nurturing
of the next generation, Joe. May God
bless you abundantly!
Jonathan Cuniak, Regional
Administrator of Pittsburgh East
Regional Catholic Schools, Rev.
Thomas J. Burk, Pastor of St. Mary
Magdalene Parish, Sr. Daniela Bronka,
CSFN, Michelle Peduto, Director of
Catholic Schools, and Rev. Matthew
Hawkins, Parochial Vicar of St. Mary
Magdalene Parish stop to take a photo
during the presentation of Sr. Daniela’s
Golden Apple award ceremony.
Joe Connelly taking a break with his
granddaughter Victoria.
Joe Connelly with his granddaughter
Victoria, son Dylan, and Dylan’s
wife, Taylor.
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
11

Healing Rosary
My for Today’s Families
Unknown Is in
God’s Hand
by Sr. M. Marcelina Mikulska,
CSFN, M.S.
Where is God amidst the
anxieties in my life? What is His
plan? Where do I need healing?
Am I serving God or my own
ego, my pleasures, my fears?
We have been created in the image
of God, the Imago Dei, to develop,
mature, grow, and love; yet how often
do we ask ourselves these questions?
God reveals Himself to us every day.
In the Vatican II document, Gaudium
et Spes, we read, “In reality it is only
in the mystery of the Word made
flesh that the mystery of man truly
becomes clear. Christ, the new
Adam, in the very revelation of the
mystery of the Father and of His
love, fully reveals man to himself and
brings to light His most high calling”
(Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes 22).
Viennese psychiatrist and well-known
existentialist Viktor Frankl defined
self-transcendence as being a human
who directs his sight toward someone
or something that is more than the
self. “The essentially self-transcendent
quality of human existence renders
man a being reaching out beyond
himself” (Frankl, 1997). As Christians,
we know there is a Someone who is
more than we. What a challenge and
privilege, all at once!
But even with this knowledge you
may still say, “I am fearful of who
is in charge of what is unknown
to me.”
Whatever happens to you today or
during this upcoming year — be they
persecutions, suffering, terrorism,
enslavement, mandates, coercion,
lockdowns, death, and whatever else
may come — all of this does not
change your identity and the deepest
longing for God. Jesus is the King of
Peace. He comes with His grace and
love and calls us His beloved child.
We are willed. We are fearfully and
wonderfully made. We belong to the
most royal family. “God has revealed
His innermost secret: God Himself is
an eternal exchange of love, Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit; and He has
destined us to share in that exchange”
(CCC 221). Our hope lies in the belief
that God’s promise is true no matter
what. He comes once in mercy as the
meek Lamb, and the second time in
justice as the Lion of Judah to protect
and avenge His little ones.
12

The uncertainty of our times can be
scary, and rightly so. However, our
God is King of Peace, Emmanuel,
and our Savior. Our God is with us!
God comes with the power to help a
human being safeguard his or her own
dignity. He upholds us in His loving
He also is leading you “in joy by the
light of His glory, with His mercy and
justice for company” (Bar 5: 9).
Staying on the side of truth, especially
in today’s world, is not an easy task.
However, it is one that holds such
great worth. There may be times
“May Your Will be done. You know better than I what
is good for me. Perhaps my current desires and plans
are not even good for me. Your plan for my future is
well organized and edifyingly scheduled.”
and gentle hands at all times. He looks
after us and brings hope. With God,
we are prepared sufficiently for every
contingency. This hope requires great
submission to trust and surrender
— leave all of your worries, even the
most realistic and frightening, in God’s
strong Hand.
I pray, may Your Will be done. You
know better than I what is good for
me. Perhaps my current desires and
plans are not even good for me. Your
plan for my future is well organized
and edifyingly scheduled.
You cannot afford to be complacent
about your life. As God led Israel,
when we are called names and feel
humiliated. There may also be times
when others believe us to be inferior.
Moments filled with long stretches
of malleable hardships, loneliness,
and sadness do affect our lives. And
yet, even in the midst of these grim
situations, God is present. He carries
us through those most broken of
times because the only way out
of suffering is to go through it, to
experience it with Divine Assistance.
At times our suffering may feel like
we are wearing the crown of thorns
that pierces through our skin. There
is tremendous suffering and hurt, and
it seems that there is no one who
can fully understand the weight of the
cross we carry. Nevertheless, Christ
knows and invites us to recognize His
example and find rest in complete
dependence on God.
No one can destroy our soul and
identity. Though the journey of waiting
and suffering may be difficult, we are
people of hope and know in faith
that with God, even the impossible
becomes possible. As the Scripture
says, “But those who hope in the
Lord will renew their strength; they
will soar on wings like eagles; they
will run and not grow weary, they
will walk and not be faint” (Isiah 40,
31). Life’s journey of the unknown,
of suffering, and waiting happens to
us all, but as People of God may we
be filled with His grace to build a
defense against fear and doubt and
fill it with anticipation, faith, hope,
and confidence.
May the Holy Family whose example
and model witness such hope, faith,
and great reliance on God, give us
strength and encouragement in the
midst of these times.
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
13

14
REFLECTION

Divine Mercy
Editor’s Note: The article below
on Sr. M. Estelle Pryszynski (1914-
2011) was written from the previous
interviews conducted by Sr. Gemma
Pepera, CSFN (December 1, 2011) and
Sr. Rose Mary Modzelewski, CSFN
(1938-2019) (February 2003: “A Brief
Account: The Journey of the Message
of the Devotion to the Mercy of God).
We invite you to join us in praying
the Divine Mercy Novena beginning
Good Friday, April 15.
A native of Pittsburg, PA, Sr. M.
Estelle Pryszynski entered the Sisters
of the Holy Family of Nazareth on
August 31, 1930, days shy of her 16th
birthday. Spending her novitiate with
the Nazareth sisters in Italy, she
then traveled as a young Temporary
Professed Sister to Poland for
studies, where she was a student in
Warsaw for a year-and-a-half. She
next went to Vilnius, Lithuania, for
three years, where she completed her
studies in mathematics, physics, Latin,
and Polish.
When the war broke out in 1939,
Sr. Estelle and the other American
sisters studying and living in the area,
concerned for their safety, asked for
a transfer to Paris or Rome. It was
1940 when Sr. Estelle, stationed in
Vilnius (then part of Nazi-occupied
Poland), was granted a transfer and
preparing to leave for Paris.
During this time, Sr. Estelle visited
the Ostra Brama gate to the city. The
Ostra Brama is an important Catholic
pilgrimage site as the icon of Our
Lady of the Gate of Dawn is housed
in the chapel, and because Divine
Mercy Sunday had first been observed
there in 1935. Fr. Michael Sopocko
displayed the image of Divine Mercy
over the famous gate and preached
the message of mercy to those
gathered in the chapel. By 1940, the
image of Divine Mercy safely found
its home in the chapel.
Sr. Estelle was a former student of
Fr. Sopocko and it was during that
time he shared with her the message
of Divine Mercy communicated to
St. Faustina. It just so happened
Sr. Estelle ran into Fr. Sopocko
while visiting the Ostra Brama. She
informed him of her plans to flee,
and at that moment, Fr. Sopocko
asked of her a favor that would
require great courage. Fr. Sopocko,
the spiritual director of Sr. Faustina
Kowalska of the Sisters of Our Lady
of Mercy, knew of the miraculous
vision Sr. Faustina had received of
Jesus. Speaking a series of messages
to her, He was dressed in white with
rays of white and red light emanating
from His heart. This vision of Jesus
would become known as the Divine
Mercy image. However, news of this
important apparition had not yet
reached Rome. Fr. Sopocko asked
Sr. Estelle to change her plans and
instead travel through Nazi-held
territories to deliver the story of
Sr. Faustina to Vatican officials.
Sr. Estelle agreed to adjust her plans.
So, Fr. Sopocko wrote the story of
Sr. Faustina in a piece of silk, which
Sr. Estelle sewed into the lining of her
habit before beginning her trip. This
journey was not without danger as
it was a three-day trip through Nazi
territory. Her superiors informed
Sr. Estelle to make contact with
the Red Cross at every stop her
train made so that her last location
would be known should she not
1939 Passport photo of Sr. M Estelle
Pryszynski.
Sr. M. Estelle Pryszynski.
Fr. Sopocko.
continued on next page...
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
15

each Rome. By the grace of God,
she arrived in Rome and was able to
share the message she had smuggled
with Mother Lauretta Lubowidzka,
CSFN, who in turn delivered it to
the Vatican. Only one other attempt
to send the story of Sr. Faustina to
the Vatican had been made, and it is
not known if the messenger, a priest,
ever made it to Rome. Had Sr. Estelle
declined to change her plans out of
fear or been discovered carrying the
message hidden in her habit, the
world may never have known the
gift of Divine Mercy!
In April 2000, Sr. Faustina Kowalska
was canonized as St. Faustina, and
Pope John Paul II officially recognized
the second Sunday of Easter as the
Sunday of the Divine Mercy. To this
day, our sisters remain grateful that
Sr. Estelle was able to play even a
small part in bringing the light of this
heavenly apparition to the Vatican
and paving the way for St. Faustina!
Sisters at the Gate of Dawn.
St. Faustina’s vision of the
Divine Mercy, painted by
Eugeniusz Kazimirowski.
St. Faustina.
16

In Memoriam
Sr. M. Consolata Pylilo
April 29, 1922 - January 24, 2022
The angels, music, and Puerto Rico
— these three components sum up
what filled the life of Sr. Consolata of
the Angels and led her to praise her
Divine Majesty without ceasing.
She was born Sophia Pylilo on April
29, 1922, to Augustine and Stefania
Pylilo in Brooklyn, New York. She
was the youngest of seven children
baptized and educated at Saints Cyril
and Methodius Parish. When Sophia
was 4 years old, her older sister
entered the Sisters of the Holy Family
of Nazareth. As she later recalled, “I
began to know as early as third grade
that I wanted to be a sister.”
vows in 1942 and perpetual vows
in 1948 where she added the
mystery to her name “of the Angels.”
All ceremonies took place in the
Immaculate Conception Chapel in
Torresdale, PA.
The “Angels” guided her to be a
pioneer in Puerto Rico, where she
was one of the first five Sisters to
serve at Colegio Espiritu Santo in
1944. Knowing no Spanish at the time,
she learned quickly. She received a BS
from Marywood College, an MA from
Villanova University, and a diploma
from the University of Madrid in
Spain. In 1967, Spanish was added to
her permanent teaching certification,
for which she was especially proud.
While in Puerto Rico, Sister began a
choir that sang for school activities
and Masses, while her adult choir
sang for Sunday Masses. God gifted
her with a love for music, whether
she was singing or playing the
guitar. Many of her students from
Colegio Espiritu Santo, who are now
grandparents, kept in touch with her
for more than 50 years.
Various other teaching assignments
led her to St. John Cantius, Nazareth
Academy High School, and Holy
Family College in Philadelphia, Sacred
Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Scranton,
PA, Nativity BVM High School in
Pottsville, PA, and Queen of Peace
in Ardsley, PA.
In 2014, Sister Consolata of the
Angels celebrated her Diamond
Jubilee of religious life. At that time,
she remarked that throughout 75
years, “I have always been grateful to
God for my vocation to religious life.”
Her gratitude extended to her family,
especially her mother, for the strong
influence they had in her early life and
the community for the great care she
received in her later years.
In 1998, Sister Consolata retired
to Mount Nazareth. Visiting with the
sisters on the second floor, joining in
song with favorite hymns, and praying
in the Chapel were her favorite
daily activities.
On January 24, 2022, the heavenly
music, provided no doubt by the
Angels, gently led Sister Consolata
from Mount Nazareth to her
eternal home.
Sophia adored the soon to be Sister
Rosaline and desired to follow in
her footsteps. After eighth grade she
entered Nazareth Academy High
School in Philadelphia, PA. She became
a postulant in 1939 and a novice
in 1940 receiving the name Sister
Consolata. Sister made temporary
Donations in memory of a deceased sister may be mailed to
Development Office, Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
— USA, Inc., 310 N. River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016. Please
include a note with the name of the Sister in whose memory you
are giving. Donations may also be made online at
nazarethcsfn.org/support-us/donate.
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
17

DEVELOPMENT
Oktoberfest in Spring
Thank you to Sr. Clare Marie Kozicki and her committee for all the hard
work they did organizing this year’s Oktoberfest in Spring fundraiser.
Some 200 sisters and friends gathered for delicious food, raffles, and a
silent auction.
For our sisters, finally being able to gather face-to-face with their friends
and benefactors was the best part of the afternoon. They are grateful that so
many would take time out of their busy schedules to attend our Oktoberfest
in Spring fundraiser.
Many thanks to our sponsors, without whom
this event would not have been so successful:
• Mrs. Maureen A. Magnuson
• Mr. and Mrs. Gregory C. Reichle
• Mr. Stanley J. Gradowski, Jr.
• Meyer Dental Group PC
• Maryville Academy
• St. Emily Parish
• Bredemann Toyota in Park Ridge
• Dr. Michael P. Zygmunt, MD
• Mr. Gunther A. Dorth
• Cruz-Sojka Funeral Home
• United Lithograph, Inc.
• Ms. Maria Bradley
• Mrs. Joanne B. Johnson
• Knights of Columbus Council #6481
• Ivan Carlson & Associates, Inc.
• Indestructo Party Rental Co.
• Meridian Banquet &
Conference Center
• Haring & Associates
• Anonymous Benefactors
18

We Invite You to
Participate in Our Prayer
Remembrance Program.
When a relative, friend, or loved one passes away, celebrates a birthday or
anniversary, or is experiencing ill health, you can express your sentiments,
honor them in a meaningful way, and offer a gift to the Sisters of the Holy
Family of Nazareth. Those you choose to honor will share in the spiritual works
and prayer of the sisters and be remembered during daily liturgy and a special
Mass each month. Their name will also be placed in the Prayer Remembrance
book located in the chapel at our Provincialate House. Contributions to the
Prayer Remembrance Program are used to help care for our elderly and
infirmed sisters, as well as those who continue to minister for and with families.
If you would like to participate in the Prayer Remembrance Program, order
from our website (nazarethcsfn.org/donate/request-spiritual-greeting-cards) or
call us at 847-298-6760 x. 143, email us at csfn_development@nazarethcsfn.org,
or write us at Development Office, Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth —
USA, Inc., 310 N. River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016-1211. We will send you as
many greeting cards as you would like, so you can send them to your relatives
or friends, as well as a convenient reply envelope for your contribution.
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS // SPRING 2022
19

310 N River Rd.
Des Plaines, IL 60016
www.nazarethcsfn.org
Non-profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
Paid
Rockford, IL
Permit No. 2495
UKRAINIAN RELIEF FUND
The Ukrainian Relief Fund was established to support the needs of our CSFN
sisters in Ukraine and Poland and their outreach to Ukrainian refugees. If you
would like to donate to help the sisters in Poland and Ukraine with their work
to the refugees, you may do so by:
1. Visiting nazarethcsfn.org. Click on “Donate,” fill out the form, and in
“Message Box” note: Donation for Sisters in Ukraine
2. Sending a check made payable to: Sisters of the Holy Family of
Nazareth — USA, Inc.
Include Memo: Donation for Sisters in Ukraine
Mail to:
Attn: Treasurer
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth — USA, Inc.
310 N. River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016
We thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration and generosity!
or
We, the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, are called to extend the Kingdom of God’s love among ourselves and
others by living the spirit of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph whose lives were centered in the love of God and one another.
We witness to this love through dedicated service to the Church, especially in ministry to the family.