NUNDAY with Felician Sister Mary Genette Kukula

Monday is NUNDAY revival! Our dear friend Sister Julianna of the Felician Sisters sent us a photo of one of her nuns. Meet Sister Mary Genettee Kukula, CSSF!

Sister Mary Genette is a huge fan of anything Chicago, as you can see by her shirt. In May she turned 101 years young. She began religious life in Milwaukee, then moved to the new motherhouse on Peterson Street in Chicago, Illinois. Next she moved to Oklahoma to start the new province, then followed the sisters to New Mexico when the Oklahoma motherhouse was relocated here. Now she’s part of the new North American province. That’s a lot of moving in 85 yr of religious life! And I haven’t even touched all the ministries she’s had or the places to which she has been assigned as teacher, principal and historian!

In 2010 when Sister Genette turned 100 years old, Sister Julianna wrote an article about this amazing nun. Here’s what she wrote, complete with more pictures of Sister Genette!

Sophia Kukula was born on May 8, 1910 to Jacob and Angela Kukula in Chicago, Illinois.  At the tender age of 13, Sophia left her home to enter the Aspirancy of the Felician Franciscan Sisters at Mother of Good Council Provincial House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Sophia entered the postulancy at the end of her junior year.  She graduated from Mother of Good Council High School in May, 1927 and was invested as a novice on August 12 of the same year.  She was given the name Sister Mary Fulginetta, which was later shortened to Sister Mary Genette in the mid-1960s.

Sr. Genette received a Bachelors Degree and a Masters Degree from Catholic University in Washington, D.C.  She has taught on the elementary and high school level from north to south and east to west, serving in Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and California. She also ministered as principal in Texas and Nebraska.

Sr. Genette began a new career at the age of 70 when she became provincial historian.  She also served as interim chairperson of the Felician Historians Commission.  She is now part of the St. Clare Center community at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Convent in Rio Rancho, her home since 1988.  The sisters living at the Saint Clare Center are known as a “Powerhouse of Prayer.”  They pray for the needs of the world and for all the special intentions entrusted to them.  Sister Genette prays fervently for these intentions from sisters, friends, benefactors and strangers alike.  This is a holy ministry entrusted to her and she performs it with all her heart and soul.

Sr. Genette keeps active as she is able.  She greets visitors to her table in the convent dining room with a hearty, “Welcome!”  She keeps abreast of world issues by watching the news channels, and she enjoys monthly Bible study classes.  She has seen much and lived through much in her 100 years, but for her there is always one more thing to be learned, one more sight to see.

Good genes and clean living may be the secret to longevity, but Sr. Genette would agree as she greets each day with arms wide open, that a hearty laugh and a warm heart couldn’t hurt.

Source: Article by Sister Julianna Vagnozzi, CSSF, for People of God, the Catholic newspaper of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe in 2010.