Age 84
Sister Daria served for decades in education, administration, and spiritual care with a life-long commitment to the people of God characterized by kindness and compassion.
Entering the Sisters of Mercy in Dallas, Pennsylvania, she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from College Misericordia in Dallas, a master’s degree in education from Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York, and did advanced studies in theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, New York.
She taught elementary school for 11 years in the Brooklyn, New York, and Rockville Centre dioceses. After eight years as director of religious education and assistant principal at Sacred Heart School in Bayside, New York, Sister Daria returned to the home of her heart—the Wyoming Valley and the Diocese of Scranton. She ministered as a pastoral associate at St. Maria Goretti Parish in Laflin, Pennsylvania and at St. Ann’s in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Fully committed to faith formation, she believed that a vibrant parish community was critically important to the success of ongoing Catholic Church renewal.
In her later years, Sister Daria turned her attention to the needs of elderly nursing home residents at Little Flower Manor/St. Therese Nursing Home, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where she was the director of spiritual care. Her innate empathy and her gentle manner endeared her to the residents and their families. Next she was invited to become the sisters’ coordinator at Mercy Center in Dallas, Pennsylvania, a position that enabled her to share her gifts with the frail elderly who were also her loving sisters.
Sister Daria’s motto is “I will sing to the Lord with Joy.” A talented musician, she was blessed with a singing voice that was crystalline in its clarity and tone. A sought-after cantor, she brought joy to everyone who had the privilege to hear her sing. If there truly is a choir of heavenly angels, Sister Daria will be welcomed as a soloist.