of the Holy Face
(Mary Krukar)
January 1, 1908 – August 9, 2003
Immaculate Conception Province
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“Once we believe that the love of Jesus unites souls, we trust Him because we know that what He initiates He will accomplish. Love centered on Jesus is enduring, strong and unselfish. It does not change for the least reason but continues onward toward its goal and measures everything according to God’s standards.” (Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Love Conquers All).
The New Year 1908 heralded particular and lifelong blessing for John Krukar and Frances Tomkiewicz. Amidst firecrackers and fanfare, the mystery of our Creator God revealed itself in the birth of the Krukars’ first-born, Mary, on January 1st in Utica, New York.
To recall the life of Sister Judith is to celebrate the mystery of the call that announces God-with-Us, the call to become Christ-bearers in the world. Quiet and somewhat reticent by nature, a simple and receptive heart animated Sister’s life. In the day-to-day, Sister Judith honored the gift of God’s creative power in selfless dedication and faith-filled obedience to religious life and ministry. In humble perseverance, Sister Judith manifested God’s glory in all the corners of her life. Her love, centered on Jesus, was indeed strong and enduring, finding expression in unspoken determination and unwavering loyalty to God’s standards.
Called to live out her baptismal covenant made on January 3, 1908 at Trinity Catholic Church, Utica as a religious sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Sister became a postulant on June 29, 1929 in the Immaculate Conception Province. In the sure and certain knowledge of God’s unconditional love, Sister entered the novitiate on July 8, 1930 and professed vows for the first time on September 1, 1932. Longing to seal her covenant with Jesus forever, Sister Judith of the Holy Face perpetually professed the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience on August 15, 1938.
A 1937 graduate of Nazareth Academy, Sister Judith received a Normal Certificate at Holy Family Teacher Training School in 1948 and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Marywood College, Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1954.
A teacher par excellence, Sister Judith’s career spanned many decades and included assignments from Massachusetts to Florida. Uniquely gifted as a primary educator, Sister ministered in places such as: St. Michael, Derby, Connecticut and St. Mary, Worcester, Massachusetts in the New England area. In Pennsylvania, Sister served the upstate communities at St. Anthony, Throop and St. Cunegunda, McAdoo. St. John Cantius, St. Mary of Czestochowa, St. Stanislaus, Our Lady of Calvary and Nazareth Academy Grade School – all in Philadelphia – benefited from Sister’s able skill and natural teaching talents. Who can rightly imagine the wonder written on those many hundreds of little faces as Sister enthusiastically opened to them the world of expanding horizons and increasing knowledge! Sister Judith loved her children – each and every unique one. She taught with a love that recognized God’s continuing creative hand fashioning minds and molding hearts. The patient and ready example she offered her students provided a safe haven for the learning process, no doubt.
In the childlike innocence of the little ones who surrounded her desk and stole her heart, Sister Judith herself learned the art of the transparent soul filled with God and motivated by love. A prayerful religious, Sister faithfully kept vigil before the tabernacle in daily adoration, offering her day and its work to the greater glory of God.
As Sister’s last assignment took her to St. Brendan School in Miami, Florida as librarian, Sister began preparation for retirement at Mount Nazareth. In 1988, Sister transferred to the Mount due to health that was showing signs of wear and tear. At age eighty, it seemed time to slow down just a little. Sister’s years at Mount Nazareth, peace-filled and happy as they were, lent themselves to continued movement toward that goal to which she had always strived – no matter the place of ministry nor the assignment: Christ-bearer to others, Sister lived love centered on Jesus, a love that, in Mother Foundress’ words, “does not change for the least reason but continues onward toward its goal and measures everything according to God’s standards.”
After a somewhat prolonged period of steady decline, Sister Judith came to fully know “that what Jesus initiates he will accomplish.” On August 9, 2003 at the age of ninety-five and entering into her diamond jubilee year, Sister finally reached her goal: Embracing her Beloved in new birth unto everlasting life, Sister Judith eternally gazes upon the Holy Face and plumbs the unfathomable mystery of its depths in the company of the angels and all the saints. Indeed, what fanfare! What jubilee! You, dear Sister, are truly blessing to us. May we bless you now in the promise of everlasting peace!
Digitized by S. Brendan O'Brien, CSFN
Instructor
School of Arts & Sciences
History Department
Holy Family University
9801 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19114
215-637-7700 x3279
srbrendan@holyfamily.edu
http://web3.holyfamily.edu/srbrendan
Last updated: February 2006