Newsletter

In December of 2015, the Daughters of Divine Charity, Holy Family Province installed Sister Mary Coffelt as their new provincial. Along with Sr. Maria Dulce, the Superior General of the Congregation, Sr. Mary  visited with each of the ministries to see the Sisters and to gain a solid understanding of how each of the ministries is carried out. Sister is breathing new life into the vocation committee, focusing the team’s     efforts to welcome women who answer His call to become a part of the congregation that serves the Archdioceses of New York and Detroit, and the Dioceses of Cleveland, Fort Wayne/South Bend and San Diego.

Sister Mary also worked closely with the Development Office this past year. With her leadership, $50,000 raised through the Christmas Appeal was distributed among each of the Sisters’ ministries. She is continuing her work with the development staff to raise funds for the St. Elizabeth’s Briarbank Convent entrance renovation.

Furthermore, Sister Mary has stepped into the leadership role on a major project for the St. Joseph Hill Convent and St. Joseph Hill Academy on Staten Island. This project is a combined effort between the Sisters, the school and a group of investors. Its goal is to install solar panels that will nearly eliminate the convent utility expenses and make the building a true green building; it will reduce the utility costs at the school, allowing funding to be redirected to further advanced programs, like STEM, and to provide for building upgrades.

That’s not all! This winter, Sister Mary has assumed the role as president of St. Joseph Hill Academy, a ministry of the Daughters of Divine Charity. Sister Mary’s experience as an elementary school teacher and principal in the Midwest has helped her to take on this new role with ease. Already, Sister Mary has assisted in the preparation for the Middle States Accreditation, opened faculty meetings with a prayers and welcoming statements, welcomed parents, students and prospective families at several school events—serving as a living representation of the Sisters’ legacy at Hill.

At this time, Sr. Mary wishes to express her deepest gratitude to the Province of the Divine Providence in Croatia. This European province answered the United States Province’s request for assistance at the St. Elizabeth Briarbank Convent. She is grateful that for the past two years Sr. Zdenka served with the Sisters in Michigan. While residing with them, she filled in wherever and whenever she could while she was caring for the Sisters.

 

St. Joseph’s Day

Another wonderful celebration was hosted at the St. Joseph Hill Convent on Staten Island. This event has become a day that so many Sisters, St. Joseph Hill Academy graduates, and current families look forward to each year; we hope it will continue.

Mass, celebrated by Monsignor Edmund Whalen, was attended by nearly 100 guests. Many thanks to Sr. Denise for planning and coordinating the details of the Mass. Her  insight in arranging for students from St. Joseph Hill Academy showcased their musical talents playing and signing for all the hymns added a beautiful touch to the afternoon.

This annual event gives all who attend the opportunity to witness how much St. Joseph means to our community. Not only does he continue to provide us with an excellent role model; but as our patron, he brings us together as a family. After Mass, guests proceeded to the Sisters’ Dining room for a delicious Potluck Dinner. Each contributing a dish to the meal, the guests could be overheard gently ribbing one another about how fast or slow their dishes vanished, sharing their recipes, or asking which bakery provided a delicious pastry.

With so many generous contributions and the camaraderie shared throughout the room, it is no wonder the Sisters open their doors to host this event year after year.

If you were not able to join us this year, we hope that you will consider making a note to attend in 2018. The Mass and Pot Luck Dinner is always held on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19th.

 

 

Sister Mary Angela Bodnar, F.D.C., a faithful   Daughter of   Divine Charity for 68 years, passed away peacefully into the arms of her Lord on January 30, 2017, at St. Joseph Hill Convent.

She was born on September 3, 1929, in Bridgeport, Connecticut to Bertalan and Elizabeth Bartok Bodnar.

She attended St. Stephen’s     grammar school where she was enamored with the teaching nuns and entered their order as a postulant after completing the 7th grade. She completed elementary and high school at St. Joseph Hill Academy and entered the novitiate on July 2,1947. She professed her vows on July 4, 1949.
Sister Angela earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Seton Hall University and taught in parish elementary schools in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. After 25 years of   teaching grades 2 through 6, she achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a cook and for six years cooked and baked for her Sisters at Villa Madonna, the province         infirmary and retirement home in Allamuchy, N.J. During those years, she also spent two days a week teaching at the Villa Madonna Nursery School.
Sister Angela was also a school  librarian, the provincial secretary,  assisted at a shelter for homeless women, administrator at Edna McLaughin, a home for elderly women, the superior at St. Joseph Convent, and an administrator at Villa Madonna. Sister worked tirelessly until 2004 when she suffered a stroke and was forced to retire.

Sister Angela was kind and caring. She lived her life full of fun, her dogs, and the children she taught.

Her family, friends, and Sisters celebrated her life on February 1st according to Sister Angela’s meticulously thought out instructions meant to ease the burden of her loss.

She is survived by her sister, Elizabeth Charney, her brother and sister-in-law, Bert and Janet Bodnar, 12 nephews and nieces, many grand-and great-grand nephews and nieces, and her Sisters of the Daughters of Divine Charity.

 

Dear Friends,

This June, Dorothy Zissler will be retiring as our Elementary School Principal. If you, or someone you know is interested in the position, please pass along the following information to them

Thank you for your continued support.

God Bless,

Sister Mary Coffelt

Provincial Superior, Daughters of Divine Charity

President, St. Joseph Hill Academy

St. Joseph Hill Academy Elementary School Principal Position

Founded by the Daughters of Divine Charity, St. Joseph Hill Academy Elementary School is seeking a Principal to uphold its mission of educating and spiritually guiding children ages Pre-K to 8^th grade.  The ideal candidate will be a practicing Catholic with prior relevant experience with school administration, fiscal and strategic planning, and will possess excellent communication skills necessary to interact with the Board of Trustees, faculty, the student body, and the Staten Island community.  Ideal candidates will possess a Master’s Degree and school building leadership and/or administrative/supervisory certification.  Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and references to Sister Mary Coffelt at [email protected] by no later than April 24, 2017.

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