Nun celebrates her golden jubilee

Staff report

warren

Sister Julia Rohaly, a Byzantine Benedictine Sister of Queen of Heaven Monastery in Warren, celebrated her golden jubilee of relig- ious profession May 8.

The Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving was celebrated by Metropolitan Archbishop Basil M. Schott in the chapel of the monastery.

Concelebrating with him were Abbot Leo R. Schlosser of Holy Trinity Monastery in Butler, Pa., and the Rev. Andrew J. Deskevich, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Warren.

Attending were family and friends of Sister Julia, including nieces and nephews: Julia Oldach, Suzanne Richard, Richard Rohaly, Debbie Perry, Pat Wroblewski and David Angelotti and family, and Oblates of St. Benedict and members of St. Benedict’s Auxiliary.

After the liturgy, a dinner for clergy, sisters, family and friends was at Caf 422.

Sister Julia was born in Harbor Creek, Pa., and grew up in Erie. Her parents were George and Julia Pirlock Rohaly, now deceased.

Her brothers were John, William and Michael, and her sister was Anna Bulles, all deceased.

She attended elementary and high school in Erie and worked for a number of years for General Electric. She entered Sacred Heart Convent in Lisle, Ill., and made profession of vows July 26, 1960. She was a charter member of Queen of Heaven Monastery, which was founded in 1969.

Early in religious life, Sister Julia cooked for nuns at the mother house in Lisle, missions in Chicago and then in Warren.

She then worked in food service at Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital until 1983 when she retired. She baked prosphora, leavened bread for Orthodox liturgies, for Sts. Peter and Paul Church and the monastery for many years.

Sister Julia also ministered in the care of children and home-bound adults.