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Sister Theresa Marie Kukla, SSCJ, 75, a perpetually professed Sister of the Congregation of Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, entered into eternal life Thursday morning, the feast of the Queenship of Mary, at Family Hospice in Pittsburgh, after a brief illness.
She was born Patricia Kukla in Lilly, daughter of the late Stanley and Mary (Slebodnick) Kukla.
She leaves behind her fellow religious Sisters who loved her dearly, as well as her beloved siblings: Helen Campbell, Stanley (Barbara) Kukla Jr., Virginia "Jeannie" (Michael) Maness and Priscilla Caron; as well as her nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Joseph.
Sister Theresa Marie obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Saint Francis University, Loretto, and a master's degree in religious education from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.
She entered the Congregation of Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Sept. 15, 1970, professing her first vows on June 29, 1973, and professing her perpetual vows on June 29, 1978. She observed the Silver Jubilee of her religious profession on Dec. 27, 1998, at Sacred Heart Province in Cresson. She was among the first Americans to enter the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, where she later served as the second provincial superior of the American Province and was a longtime Mistress of Novices and local superior. Since Aug. 1, 2017, she resided at St. Joseph Convent in Munster Township, Portage, where she devotedly cared for Mother Amabilis Debicka.
Throughout her religious life, she served the glory of the Most Sacred Heart with love and zeal in the areas of education and catechesis, youth ministry and administration within the Dioceses of Altoona-Johnstown and Wheeling-Charleston, W.Va. At the time of her death, Sister Theresa Marie was assigned as Director of Religious Education at Our Lady of the Alleghenies Parish in Lilly.
Vigil Rites for Sister Theresa Marie will be held at 5 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, at St. Francis Xavier Church, 211 Powell Ave., Cresson, beginning with the Rite of Reception, the Rev. Leo F. Arnone officiating. Viewing hours will follow from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019, at St. Francis Xavier Church, 211 Powell Ave., Cresson. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019. The Rev. Leo F. Arnone, pastor, will be the celebrant, and Monsignor John R. Sasway, will serve as homilist.
Committal will be in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery, Cresson, where she will be laid to rest alongside her fellow departed Sisters. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sister Theresa Marie's memory to the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 866 Cambria St., Cresson, PA 16630. In your charity, please pray for the repose of the soul of our beloved Sr. Theresa Marie Kukla, SSCJ and for all our beloved faithful departed. "May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace."
Funeral arrangements have been made in conjunction with Wroblewski Funeral Home Inc., 1442 Wyoming Ave., Forty Fort, PA 18704 and Matthew R. Decort Funeral Home, 532 Main St., Portage, PA 15946.
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