Meet School Sisters of Saint Francis

Vocations

Meet Our Sisters

Each year we recognize Sisters who celebrate an anniversary date as a School Sister of Saint Francis. Our Jubilarians shared their joy and enthusiasm with 350 guests on August 5, 2006 at Mount Assisi Convent. The celebration included a snowfall of rose petals to recall all the blessings showered upon the Jubilarians throughout the years. The Jubilarians included:
75 years
Sister Sophie Tarhanich
60 years
Sister Marietta Bankos
Sister Sylvia Pavlochin
Sister Doloretta Zugell
50 years
Sister Joyce Burkhart
Sister Lois Jean Di Falco
Sister Geraldine Ann Kasper
Sister Regina Ann Rokosny
Sister Bernadine Marie Stemnock
25 years
Sister Barbara De Stefano

Sister Sophie Tarhanich is serving the Bethlehem Province in prayer ministry. Sister Sophie (formerly Sister Veronica) was born December 20, 1912 in Simpson PA, daughter of the late John and Anna (Danko) Tarhanich. She attended Roosevelt Public school in her hometown, entered the order on August 12, 1929 and professed her simple vows on August 4, 1937 at Mount Assisi Convent. Throughout her years of active ministry, Sister Sophie served her sisters by performing domestic duties.
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Sister Marietta Bankos, a native of Cementon PA, serves as archivist in Bethlehem and practices her knitting as well, a skill she recently acquired to fulfill a life-long ambition. She formerly taught elementary and secondary classes, especially business courses at the high-school level. She served as provincial secretary in Bethlehem and as general secretary and archivist for the congregation for twelve years in Rome.
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Golden Jubilarian Sister Sylvia Pavlochin is serving the Bethlehem prayer ministry. She was born Anna Pavlochin on October 13, 1929 in Northampton PA, the daughter of the late John and Elizabeth (Leiko) Pavlochin. She attended the Wolf School, Northampton and graduated from Mount Assisi Academy. She received her Bachelor of Science degree and her Master of Arts degree from Seton Hall University. Sister entered the order on August 4, 1945 and professed her simple vows on August 2, 1951 at Mount Assisi. She taught elementary school in the Diocese of Allentown, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and in the Pittsburgh Diocese, in Newark and Patterson NJ, and in Springfield and Worcester MA. Sister also served in the Diocese of Manchester NH, and was a receptionist in the Chancery Office for the Diocese of Allentown.
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Sister Joyce Burkhart currently serves as Director of Religious Education at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Uniontown and at St. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Fairchance, both in the Greensburg Diocese. She has spent the past thirty years in catechetical and religious education, also serving in pastoral ministry as well; before that she taught in grade schools in New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Sister Joyce was instrumental in setting up the Associate Program for the School Sisters of St. Francis and served as its first Director. A native of Pittsburgh’s Northside, she was educated at St. Gabriel’s grade school before she came to Mt. Assisi as a candidate.
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Sister Lois Jean Di Falco (formerly Sister Lucia) hails from Saint Patrick’s Parish in Canonsburg PA, where she first met the School Sisters of St. Francis. For the past two years she has ministered to the elderly and infirm sisters in Bethlehem and participated in a training program for hospital chaplains at St. Luke’s Hospital there. She has served as Director of Religious Education and social service ministry at parishes in the Pittsburgh and Greensburg Dioceses. In her earlier years she taught elementary and secondary classes in Pennsylvania and Texas. She also served as Director of the Pittsburgh Province’s Associate Program.
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Sister Geraldine Ann Kasper (formerly Sister Hyacinth) currently serves as Director of Religious Education at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Girard, Erie Diocese. Throughout her fifty years of ministry she has served in pastoral ministry and catechetics, most recently in Immaculate Conception Parish in Clarion and Holy Family Parish in Erie. She has also taught in elementary and secondary schools in Pennsylvania and Texas. A native of McKees Rocks PA, Sister Gerry was educated by the School Sisters of St. Francis at Saint Mark’s school there.
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Sister Regina Ann Rokosny (formerly Sister Borgia) from Bethlehem, is a native of Emmaus PA. She currently serves as on the staff of St. Francis Retreat Center in Easton PA. During her fifty years of ministry she has primarily taught elementary and secondary classes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Texas. She was a pioneer in inter-provincial living, one of the first sisters from Bethlehem to live and work in a ministry in Pittsburgh.
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Sister Bernadine Marie Stemnock (formerly Sister Robert) recently concluded a five-year term as Provincial Minister, a position she also held from 1981-1989. In the intervening period she served for twelve years as a member of the General Council. She has also been the provincial treasurer and novice director. She has taught school on the primary and secondary levels in Pennsylvania and Texas. A native of Rice’s Landing, she came to know the community through her aunt, the late Sister Anna Matyk.
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Silver Jubilarian Sister Barbara De Stefano served as the Vicar for Bethlehem and Pastoral Associate for Liturgy at St. Matthias Parish in Somerset NJ. A native of South Philadelphia, she was a long-time member of the staff at St. Francis Center for Renewal in Bethlehem.