Sister Delphina, O.P. (Order of Preachers) Of the precious blood Was born in Pittsburgh, PA and was given the name of Cecilia on the day of her baptism at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on October 10, 1897. Sister's parents who had imigrated from Poland, were Albert and Marianna Pietrusinski. Besides Cecilia there were eight brothers and three sisters in the family. Cecilia was 12 yrs. when her father retired from the Pittsburgh Steel Mills and the family moved to Standish, MI. They has heard about Standish from a relative. Sister relates that when they left Pittsburgh, her mother tied the bag of money they possesed around Cecilia's neck for safe keeping.
Her Pastor Fr. E.E. Podlaszewski, read a letter from the pulpit that he had received from Mother Gonsalva Bankstahl, who was the Prioress of the Grand Rapids Dominicans, begging for vocations to the community. The other factor was a young woman later to be Sr. Benita Gwisdala a Grand Rapids Dominican, who was working in her brother's store at Standish.The two became close friends and Cecilia came to her reception of the habit. She made known to her pastor her desire to become a nun, and she mentioned becoming a Holy Family Sister as she had two cousins in that community. Father sugguested that she go to St. Josaphat in Saginaw which she did. There she met Sisters Therodora, Alfreda and Benjamina. she was impressed but not with the black that they wore. Her pastor explained to her that these were their mantles and that they wore white habits. Being assured she would be wearing a white habit she entered the Marywood Domincans in Grand Rapids and was given the name Sister Mary Delphina of the Precious Blood. Sister then taught 52 years in Catholic Education in the United States and in foreign missions. She truly was a beautiful, congenial kind and gentle woman. She stated in the latter years of her life, "I enjoyed religious life wherever I was, I was always happy". Sister is survived by her beloved community of Dominicans and several nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. Sister Delphina is my Grandmother's sister.
Her Pastor Fr. E.E. Podlaszewski, read a letter from the pulpit that he had received from Mother Gonsalva Bankstahl, who was the Prioress of the Grand Rapids Dominicans, begging for vocations to the community. The other factor was a young woman later to be Sr. Benita Gwisdala a Grand Rapids Dominican, who was working in her brother's store at Standish.The two became close friends and Cecilia came to her reception of the habit. She made known to her pastor her desire to become a nun, and she mentioned becoming a Holy Family Sister as she had two cousins in that community. Father sugguested that she go to St. Josaphat in Saginaw which she did. There she met Sisters Therodora, Alfreda and Benjamina. she was impressed but not with the black that they wore. Her pastor explained to her that these were their mantles and that they wore white habits. Being assured she would be wearing a white habit she entered the Marywood Domincans in Grand Rapids and was given the name Sister Mary Delphina of the Precious Blood. Sister then taught 52 years in Catholic Education in the United States and in foreign missions. She truly was a beautiful, congenial kind and gentle woman. She stated in the latter years of her life, "I enjoyed religious life wherever I was, I was always happy". Sister is survived by her beloved community of Dominicans and several nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. Sister Delphina is my Grandmother's sister.
Sister Delphina, O.P. (Order of Preachers) Of the precious blood Was born in Pittsburgh, PA and was given the name of Cecilia on the day of her baptism at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church on October 10, 1897. Sister's parents who had imigrated from Poland, were Albert and Marianna Pietrusinski. Besides Cecilia there were eight brothers and three sisters in the family. Cecilia was 12 yrs. when her father retired from the Pittsburgh Steel Mills and the family moved to Standish, MI. They has heard about Standish from a relative. Sister relates that when they left Pittsburgh, her mother tied the bag of money they possesed around Cecilia's neck for safe keeping.
Her Pastor Fr. E.E. Podlaszewski, read a letter from the pulpit that he had received from Mother Gonsalva Bankstahl, who was the Prioress of the Grand Rapids Dominicans, begging for vocations to the community. The other factor was a young woman later to be Sr. Benita Gwisdala a Grand Rapids Dominican, who was working in her brother's store at Standish.The two became close friends and Cecilia came to her reception of the habit. She made known to her pastor her desire to become a nun, and she mentioned becoming a Holy Family Sister as she had two cousins in that community. Father sugguested that she go to St. Josaphat in Saginaw which she did. There she met Sisters Therodora, Alfreda and Benjamina. she was impressed but not with the black that they wore. Her pastor explained to her that these were their mantles and that they wore white habits. Being assured she would be wearing a white habit she entered the Marywood Domincans in Grand Rapids and was given the name Sister Mary Delphina of the Precious Blood. Sister then taught 52 years in Catholic Education in the United States and in foreign missions. She truly was a beautiful, congenial kind and gentle woman. She stated in the latter years of her life, "I enjoyed religious life wherever I was, I was always happy". Sister is survived by her beloved community of Dominicans and several nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. Sister Delphina is my Grandmother's sister.
Her Pastor Fr. E.E. Podlaszewski, read a letter from the pulpit that he had received from Mother Gonsalva Bankstahl, who was the Prioress of the Grand Rapids Dominicans, begging for vocations to the community. The other factor was a young woman later to be Sr. Benita Gwisdala a Grand Rapids Dominican, who was working in her brother's store at Standish.The two became close friends and Cecilia came to her reception of the habit. She made known to her pastor her desire to become a nun, and she mentioned becoming a Holy Family Sister as she had two cousins in that community. Father sugguested that she go to St. Josaphat in Saginaw which she did. There she met Sisters Therodora, Alfreda and Benjamina. she was impressed but not with the black that they wore. Her pastor explained to her that these were their mantles and that they wore white habits. Being assured she would be wearing a white habit she entered the Marywood Domincans in Grand Rapids and was given the name Sister Mary Delphina of the Precious Blood. Sister then taught 52 years in Catholic Education in the United States and in foreign missions. She truly was a beautiful, congenial kind and gentle woman. She stated in the latter years of her life, "I enjoyed religious life wherever I was, I was always happy". Sister is survived by her beloved community of Dominicans and several nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and nephews. Sister Delphina is my Grandmother's sister.
