St. Lucy's Angels

MORRISTOWN  A viola fills the dining room of St. Joseph Infirmary here with the warm notes of a few Cello Suites by J.S. Bach. After, the room rang out with applause for the gifted player — Villa Walsh Academy student Kelly Kim. Her performance was part of a visit by the students to the retired Filippini sisters, who live here.

During the visit, the sisters and students talk about anything — from the weather, to the students’ coursework at the Villa, to the sisters’ calling to serve God as teachers. It’s all music to the ears to the members of the Religious Teachers Filippini here. They appreciate it when these young women — part of the long-running St. Lucy’s Angels ministry — take time out of their busy school schedule to visit with them at the infirmary, located next to the Villa, as more than neighbors, but family. On that afternoon, Feb. 14, the group of students walked into the dining room, which was decorated for St. Valentine’s Day, and presented the sisters — many of whom formerly taught at Villa Walsh — with flowers in several colors, made by the freshmen from tissue paper.

“I like when the young women come over to visit us. It gives us some companionship,” said Sister Rose Chuckerel, who taught English at Villa Victoria Academy, which the Filippinis operate in Ewing. She talked to Lucianna Farro, a Villa junior and St. Lucy’s Angels co-president, with another junior, Maeve Imossi, about her love of diagramming sentences, as well as several of her colorful family members, who worked in show business. “These girls have so many beautiful talents,” Sister Rose said.

That afternoon, many of the Filippini sisters — dressed in their black habits, suit jackets and skirts — waited for the students with the anticipation of seeing a close family member. The tables in the cafeteria were decorated with pink and purple tablecloths and napkins in celebration of Valentine’s Day. Soon these young women, grades 7 to 12, walked into the room and got into the rhythm of the moment, as they greeted the sisters, presented them with the paper flowers and then started conversing with them.

“These sisters are so filled with joy. They are nice and friendly. We talk about the weather — or whatever else comes to mind,” said Renata Aviles, a freshman, as she visited with one of the sisters.

Each student engaged in conversation, while sitting, kneeling next to, or standing in front of a sister, who sat in a chair or wheelchair, or stood with the help of a cane or walker. The sisters talked about the subjects that they enjoyed teaching in their time of active ministry, such as French or math. The young women talked about their classes, including some that they found difficult, such as Spanish or math. Some students asked the sisters, “Why did you want to become a teacher?”

“The secret is love — the young women and their laughter. They make the day of our sisters. They bring their youth and their love. That’s all they need,” Sister Laura Longo, St. Joseph’s superior, told The Beacon, during the visit. Later, after the viola performance by Kim, a Villa freshman, sister addressed the students from a podium in the dining room, shedding some tears, while telling them, “We appreciate your visits. We are very grateful. You don’t know what this means to us. The music is excellent and we could talk to you for hours,” she said.

These young women have volunteered to visit St. Joseph’s during a study hall period in their busy schedule. During most visits, they visit nuns in the facility’s gathering spaces or in their rooms, talking with them, reading to them or helping them use their cell phones, or performing tasks that need to be done. They often bring gifts and treats and entertain the sisters. The Spanish and Italian clubs have visited to sing songs in those languages, said Laura Williams, a freshmen and junior theology teacher at Villa and adviser to St. Lucy’s Angels.

“These young women are always a delight to have around. They bring joy — and good stories. I love each visit,” Sister Lillian Ernest said.

The 15 members of St. Lucy’s Angels also organize celebrations for holidays, such as St. Valentine’s Day, Easter, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, bringing the sisters gifts, treats and hands-on activities that they do together, such as working on an activity book for Thanksgiving. A few students have visited to perform Irish step dancing for St. Patrick’s Day, Williams said.

“This is a student-led organization. They give up their time to visit the sisters,” said Williams, as she oversaw the ministry’s St. Valentine’s Day visit. Students start each visit by meeting in her classroom. “The sisters were teachers, so they love having the students around and the students are happy to spend time with them,” she said.

The almost 20-year-old St. Lucy’s Angels started when a student came up with the idea of a ministry to visit the infirmary to “do whatever is needed to be done.” Some of the young women visit the sisters during the summer — some along with family members. One student even arranged for her family to transport a sister to Villa Walsh’s musical performance and sat in the back of the auditorium to care for her needs. Students develop a “close rapport” with the sisters and do become upset when they pass away, said Sister Patricia Pompa, principal of the 50-year-old Villa Walsh Academy, which offers young women a challenging curriculum and enriching extracurricular and faith activities to prepare them for college and beyond.

“The young women are so devoted to the sisters. They are a breath of fresh air and bring such joy. They do it because they truly love it,” said Sister Patricia, who noted that the ministry follows the charism of St. Lucy Filippini, founder of the Religious Teachers Filippini, who, in her native Italy, provided education about God and basic life skills to women in a time when women were not privileged to be educated.

Sitting in a chair and talking with Sister Rose that afternoon was Farro, one of Villa’s students, who visits St. Joseph’s with her family during summers. Her family has also invited sisters to their home in Morristown for dinner.

“I love visiting. The sisters are some of the funniest people I’ve ever met. A lot of these sisters have no family left, so we become their family. They are so generous and they remember every little thing. I will get calls from them at night, asking me, ‘How did you do on that test?’ It’s also a good feeling knowing that so many people are praying for me,” said Farro of the sisters, many of whom taught in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Paterson. With gratitude, she tells The Beacon, before saying goodbye to the sisters that afternoon, “I’m giving back to these sisters, who gave up so much to dedicate their lives to benefit our lives.”