STAMFORD—The Sisters of Life are pleased to announce that the following Sisters will profess their first vows as a Sister of Life on August 4, 2018 at Villa Maria Guadalupe in Stamford, CT. Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Bridgeport Diocese will celebrate the Mass of Profession.
The Sisters of Life are a religious congregation founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor, Archbishop of New York, and dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of human life.
Sr. Mary Casey O’Connor, 35, graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio with a bachelor’s degree in theology and religious education. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life, Sr. Mary Casey O’Connor worked as a youth minister in her home parish of St. Frances Cabrini, Littleton, CO. She is the daughter of James and Cindi Gunning of Centennial, CO, and her siblings are: Todd, Erin Martinez, and Casey, her twin sister.
Sr. Mary Grace, 28, was raised in Sydney, Australia, and first met the Sisters of Life through World Youth Day 2008. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame, Sydney, Australia with a bachelor’s degree in theology. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life, Sr. Mary Grace served as a Chaplaincy Convenor for the University of Notre Dame Australia, organized events at St. Benedicts Church on campus, and worked in young adult ministry for the Archdiocese of Sydney. She is the daughter of Mark and Mary Langrell of Queenscliff, NSW; her siblings are Patrick, Lauren (entered eternal life 2014), and Thomas.
Sr. Fidelity Grace, 28, was raised in Oakdale, MN, and attended the Church of St. Peter in North Paul, MN. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, with a bachelor’s degree in Catholic Studies and Secondary Education. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life, Sr. Fidelity Grace was a Middle and High School Religion Teacher in Chippewa Falls, WI. She is the daughter of Ken and Mary Ann Thelen; her siblings are Christine (husband John) Goerke and Sarah.
Sr. Gaudia Maria Magdalena, 27, was raised in the Archdiocese of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and attended St. Hyacinth Parish/ Parafia Św. Jacka in Ottawa. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with a bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life, Sr. Gaudia Maria Magdalena was a social worker and then spent a year of Faith Formation at St. Therese School in Bruno, SK. She is the daughter of Krzysztof and Anna Matuszewscy of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; her siblings are Robert and Stefania.
Sr. Zélie Maria Louis, 26, was raised in Waterloo, Iowa, and attended Sacred Heart Parish there. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN, with a bachelor’s degree in Catholic Studies and Political Science, and a minor in Philosophy. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life, Sr. Zélie Maria Louis was working in Human Resources at Assessment Associates International in Wayzata, MN. She is the daughter of Steven and Jana Schmitt and a triplet. Her siblings are: Lauren, Michael, Emily (husband Matt) Nolting, Steven, and Andrew.
Sr. Ann Immaculée, 25, was raised in Owatonna, MN, and attended Sacred Heart Parish there. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life, Sr. Ann Immaculée studied Philosophy, Catholic Studies and Business at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and received a liberal arts degree in 2015. She is the daughter of Joseph and Sharon Stiles and has five siblings: Lorena (husband Eric) Dillon, Ezra, Annemarie (husband Mitchel) Milless, Fr. James Stiles, and Monica (husband Alex) Marchetti.
Sr. Catherine Joy Marie, 25, was raised in Stamford, CT, and attended Holy Spirit Parish there. She graduated from Providence College in Rhode Island with a bachelor’s degree in Theology and a concentration in Biology prior to entering the Sisters of Life. She is the daughter of Frank and Megan Janik of Stamford, and the oldest of five daughters: Carolyn, Katherine, Rachel, and Madelyn.
Sisters taking Final Vows on August 6
The following Sisters will profess their solemn vows as Sisters of Life on August 6, 2018, the Feast of the Transfiguration, at the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist in Stamford, CT. The Celebrant and Homilist will be Archbishop Charles J. Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to Albania and a priest of the Archdiocese of New York. The Mass of Perpetual Profession at the Basilica is open to wellwishers to help us celebrate this momentous occasion. Confessions begin at 10:30 am, and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass begins at 11 am on Monday, August 6th.
Sr. Talitha Guadalupe, S.V., 32, was raised in Silt, CO, and attended Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish there. She graduated from the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN, in 2007 with a B.A. in theology. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life in 2007, Sr. Talitha Gaudalupe was a student who spent her summers walking with the Missionaries of the Eucharist from Minnesota to Pennsylvania (once) and Maine to Washington, D.C. (twice). She is the daughter of Les and Margaret Simms, and her siblings are: Carrie (husband Greg) Hartman; Eric (wife Sophie); and Molly (husband Tommy) Butler. Sr. Talitha Guadalupe currently serves at Sacred Heart of Jesus Convent in Manhattan, a Holy Respite where pregnant women, vulnerable to abortion, live side-by-side with Sisters, allowing them a place to rest, to get their feet on the ground, and to grow in their authentic identity as women and mothers.
Sr. Cecilia Rose, S.V., 37, was raised in Chico, CA, and attended St. John the Baptist Parish there. She graduated from the University of Portland, OR, in 2003 with a degree in theology and a minor of philosophy. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life in 2009, Sr. Cecilia Rose worked for NET Ministries- National Evangelization Teams. She is the daughter of Jim and Janice Carleton. She has three brothers: John (wife Sheelagh), Jerry (wife Heather), and Jay. Sr. Cecilia Rose currently serves at Sacred Heart of Jesus Convent in Manhattan, a Holy Respite where pregnant women, vulnerable to abortion, live side-by-side with Sisters, allowing them a place to rest, to get their feet on the ground, and to grow in their authentic identity as women and mothers.
Sr. Faustina Maria Pia, S.V., 34, was raised in Somers, CT, and attended All Saints Parish there. She graduated from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2005 with a degree in human services; and from Springfield Technical Community College with an R.N. degree in 2009. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life in 2009, she worked for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Hartford, CT, and for Northwest Airlines. She is the daughter of Dr. Germain and Mrs. Ortrud [note to editor: no ‘e’ at the end] Bianchi. She is the youngest of eight: Samsaim, Ariela (husband Dean) Torgersen, Anaritha (husband Will) Gonzalez, Muriel, Sr. Mareja, M.C., Hanael (wife Tiffany), Gertrud [note to editor: no ‘e’ at the end] (her twin sister; husband Adam) Harlan. Sr. Faustina currently assists the Vocations Director for the Community, helping to guide young women discerning a call to Religious Life as a Sister of Life.
Sr. Mariana Benedicta, S.V., 33, was raised in Los Alamos, NM, and attended Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish there. She graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, MA, in 2007 with a degree in Chemistry. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life in 2009, she served as a campus missionary with FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students), at the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT, and at Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD. Sr. Mariana Benedicta is the daughter of Francisco Uribe and Cheryl Wampler. She has two older brothers, Francisco (wife Marcela Carvallo) and Sebastian, and a younger sister, Eva Cristina Uribe (husband Misha Shashkov). Sr. Mariana Benedicta currently serves in the Visitation Mission in New York City, through which she accompanies women whose pregnancies have created a crisis in their lives, seeking to bring them the spiritual, emotional, and temporal support they need to choose life for themselves and their children.
Sr. Gianna Maria, S.V., 31, was raised in Wilmington, DE, and attended St. John the Beloved Parish there. She graduated from the Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, in 2009 with a bachelor of science degree in nursing. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life in 2010, Sr. Gianna Maria worked as a registered nurse as Nemours duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. Her parents are Michael and Mary Solomon. She is the fifth of seven children, and her siblings are: Terri, Mary Jean (husband Will) Howard, Mike, Rev. John Solomon, Anne (husband Andrew) Mild, and Tony. Sr. Gianna Maria currently serves as an assistant at the postulant formation house, helping to introduce the newest members of the Sisters of Life to the prayer and life of the Community.
Sr. Monica Marie, S.V., 31, grew up in Anmore, British Columbia, and attended Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Port Coquitlam in the Vancouver area, Canada. She graduated from St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2009. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life in 2010, she was a registered nurse in a post-surgical unit. She is the daughter of Maureen and Bruce Currie, and her siblings are: Ian (wife Kelsey), Andrew James (“AJ”, wife Katharine), Rachael (husband Albert) Bonato, Josh, Aidan, and Kalina. Sr. Monica Marie currently serves in the Visitation Mission in New York City, through which she accompanies women whose pregnancies have created a crisis in their lives, seeking to bring them the spiritual, emotional, and temporal support they need to choose life for themselves and their children.
Sr. Maria Regina Immaculata, S.V., 30, was raised in Ann Arbor, MI, where she attended St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thomas the Apostle parishes there. Her family now attends St. Thomas the Apostle Parish. She graduated from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI, in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a minor degree in Spanish. In college, she was actively involved with her campus Students for Life group and president of its Catholic Society. She first met the Sisters of Life at World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, in 2008. She entered the Sisters of Life following her college graduation. Her parents are Dr. David and Mrs. Marie Williams and her four younger siblings are Anna (husband Eddie) Sutherland, Douglas, Clare, and Molly. Sr. Maria Regina Immaculata currently serves in Novitiate Formation at the motherhouse.
Sr. Marie Veritas, S.V., 30, was raised in Edmonton, AB, Canada, with her family spending a year in Australia during her childhood. She attended St. Andrew Parish in Edmonton. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life in 2010, she completed her degree in Biological Sciences and English at the University of Alberta. She is the daughter of Raymond and Dr. Diane Severin, and the eldest of four: Anna, Gregory and Theresa. She currently serves in the Visitation Mission in Toronto, through which she accompanies women whose pregnancies have created a crisis in their lives, seeking to bring them the spiritual, emotional, and temporal support they need to choose life for themselves and their children. She also assists in retreats and evangelization in Canada, and contributes to the Sisters of Life publication, IMPRINT.
For information on the Sisters of Life in Stamford, contact:
VILLA MARIA GUADALUPE
(Retreat House)
159 Sky Meadow Drive
Stamford, CT 06903
(203) 329-1492 Tel
(203) 329-1495 Fax
[Retreat Schedule]
Photo: Kathleen O’Rourke, Stamford Advocate, 2010