Retirement Fund for Religious

“I loved what they were doing for the Lord,” explains Sister Paulette Lendacky, 89, of her decision to join the Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius of Danville, Pennsylvania. As a child, she had been taught by the sisters in school. After working for two years following high school graduation, she entered religious life in 1947.

Sister Paulette spent some 40 years teaching in grades two through eight. “It was an interesting life teaching all different types of children,” she recalls. Along the way, she received her undergraduate degree from DePaul University and a theology degree from Villanova University. Following teaching, she served for 10 years as assistant to her community’s treasurer. “But I wanted to go back to teaching, so I taught for five more years,” she says.

An organist and pianist, Sister Paulette was always involved with the music for school recitals and plays. One year, the accompanist for Saint Cyril Academy, then the community’s high school, fell ill the night before the annual musical was set to open. Sister Paulette filled in at the last moment and from then on began playing for the academy’s productions. “I was already so-called retired, but I also played for Masses and gave piano lessons,” explains Sister Paulette. “I gave my last lesson in 2014 when I saw the pedals were moving farther away,” she laughs. Still, she has fond memories of her students. “When you see the children progress, it’s marvelous,” she says.

Today, Sister Paulette resides at Maria Hall, her community’s retirement center. She enjoys the daily rhythm of prayer and community life. “The Rosary is the most important prayer because it gives me an incentive to keep going—to work as Our Lady did,” notes Sister Paulette. “She was always united with him (Jesus).”