| Sr. Gloria Petrone, aci, died peacefully at 82 years on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 surrounded by her sisters, family and nurses at Saint Joseph Villa. Born on October 31, 1941 in Philadelphia of a Ukrainian mother and an Italian father, Gloria met the Handmaids as a student at Ancilla Domini Academy in Philadelphia, USA, where she embraced our charism wholeheartedly, joining the community shortly after her graduation in 1959. During Gloria’s 65 years as a Handmaid her ministry took her to many places. Her heart was, as Raphaela wanted, “as big as the whole world”. She loved her Handmaid vocation and truly lived the spirit of the Institute: love for Christ in the Eucharist and the concern for the salvation of all that consumed his heart. Gloria was a gifted educator who taught biology in many high schools, both in Philadelphia, Miami, and also in St. Raphaela High School in Dublin, Ireland. She was entrusted with leadership roles both as Principal of several schools, and as Local and Provincial Superior in the Congregation. After teaching, Gloria cherished a special love for those on the margins; a passion that she poured into Hispanic ministry through Project Fiat in El Salvador. There she enabled young women and men, volunteers from colleges and parishes across the United States, to experience solidarity with those who possess very little and experience a huge learning gap. Gloria’s final ministry was in Camillus House, Miami, caring for the hungry, the homeless and the forgotten. It was in Miami that Gloria developed breast cancer in 2023. After surgery there she was transferred to Saint Joseph Villa, a nursing home sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia. There she soon won the hearts of her nurses and fellow residents who all became very fond of her. She engaged fully in all the activities provided at the Villa, from bingo to Centering Prayer, from the weekly happy hour to daily Eucharist. Gloria was a powerful and dynamic woman with a large heart and a great sense of humor. She was also a deeply spiritual woman and a Handmaid through and through, with a passion for our identity and our mission. She made a deep impression wherever she went and was remembered with love by those who were fortunate enough to be touched by her. Since she passed away, we have received so many moving messages from people the world over, all sharing treasured memories of Gloria. We treasure our memories too of a woman who did not hesitate to challenge institutional norms when she felt it necessary. Yet, she had a tender heart filled with love and compassion and, above all, a contagious spirit of joy that she passed on to those around her. Gloria spontaneously lived St. Raphaela’s wish: “This year I want to be the joy of the Lord”. We miss her dearly. Services will be held on Wednesday, May 29th, 2024 at Saint Joseph Villa, 110 W. Wissahickon Avenue Flourtown, PA. Visitation will begin at 9:00am followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30am. View the Livestream of the Funeral Mass at 10:30am EST and pray alongside us in gratitude for Gloria’s life. On Friday, May 17, all are invited to an Evening of Remembrance at St. Raphaela Center to share stories of Gloria’s influence and celebrate the very full life she lived. We will begin with a reception at 5:30pm in the dining room followed by a time of prayer and story sharing at 6:30pm in the Chapel. Kindly RSVP below for our Evening of Remembrance. |
| Our Evening of Remembrance will be broadcast live on our YouTube Channel. |
Evening of Remembrance
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