The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice says they lost more than a dozen of their dedicated nuns, most in the span of one month.

A congregation in Livonia, Michigan is sharing that beginning on Good Friday, 13 of its nuns have died from COVID-19. The nuns were all seniors, aged 69-99.

u and your loved ones as preciously as you took care to prayer-sing your message of love and support," Sister Nancy Marie Jamroz, Madonna University's co-director, Center for Catholic Studies and Interfaith Dialogue says in a statement following a tribute to the nuns.

The 13 nuns had a combined 863 years of service with the sisterhood including Sisters Mary Danatha (Lottie) Suchyta (98) and Mary Luiza Wawrzyniak (99) who served for 80 years each.

Many of these nuns were highly educated and taught at Madonna University, a Catholic university conducted by the Felician Sisters. Many of the sisters were experienced teachers in fields such as biology, journalism, and nursing.

One of the sisters, Thomas Marie Wadowski, was also known for her second-grade classes' Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup commercial.

 

The 13 nuns lost include:

  • Sr. Mary Clarence (Adeline) Borkoski
  • Sr. Mary Madeleine (Frances) Dolan
  • Sr. Mary Alice Ann (Fernanda) Gradowski
  • Sr. Victoria Marie Indyk
  • Sr. Celine Marie Lesinski
  • Sr. Mary Estelle Printz
  • Sr. Mary Patricia Pyszynski
  • Sr. Mary Martinez (Virginia) Rozek
  • Sr. Mary Danatha Suchyta
  • Sr. Thomas Marie Wadowski
  • Sr. Mary Luiza Wawrzyniak
  • Sr. Rose Mary Wolak
  • Sr. Mary Janice (Margaret) Zolkowski

 

The first death recorded was Mary Luiza Wawrzyniak, 99, on Good Friday, April 10 with 11 others following within a month. Mary Danatha (Lottie) Suchyta, the final woman of the 13 lost, is recorded as dying on June 27, 2020,