Sister Miriam Lucille Montella

We gather as a faith community to remember, to celebrate and to give thanks to our gracious God for the kind, spirit-filled life of Sister Miriam Lucille Montella, lovingly called Lu, a Sister of St. Joseph for 69 vibrant and joy-filled years.  Tried and true, our playful Lu!

Gratitude to Father Sean Gann, our faithful companion for celebrating Eucharist with us today, and welcome to Father Chris, a dear friend of Lu’s .

Always proud of her New York City roots, which spanned Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens, Lucille Giovanna, beloved daughter of Carmela and Fred Montella, and sister to Umberto and Maria, held her Italian heritage, her faith, and her family as God’s greatest gifts.  The three came together often in spirited family gatherings that welcomed all – and certainly included a scrumptious Italian meal.

After graduating from Bay Ridge High School, Lu attended St. Joseph College, where she encountered the lived charism of our sisters, joy and enthusiasm for a broad, in-depth, faith-based education, and an invitation to deepen her relationship with the God she loved.

In 1956, with her degree in hand, Lu entered the community full of zest and fervor to serve God in the field of education as a Sister of St. Joseph.Over the course of the next 10 years, she taught junior high students at St. Angela Hall and Queen of Peace and transitioned to St. Joseph High School to teach English.  Her natural giftedness in relating to students and staff alike with personalism, kindness, and good humor, valuing their individual needs and strengths, was recognized and applauded.

Obtaining a Master’s in Education from Manhattan College and an Advanced Certificate in Administration and Supervision from Brooklyn

College and Hofstra University, Lu became a shining light, an august mentor to many educators, and a stellar leader in the field of Catholic education.

In her role as Supervisor of Schools in the Diocese of Rockville Centre and later as Principal of St. Athanasius in Brooklyn and Cure of Ars, Merrick, Lu’s expertise and commitment to quality well-rounded education were enhanced by her exceptional relational skills and love of people!  She was a pro

Anyone who knew Lu was deeply aware of her loving devotion to her dear mother, Carmela.  Over the years of Lu’s ministry and faithful living of our CSJ community life, she was ever-present to her mother.  In typical and wonderful fashion, her mother’s welcoming home and spectacular Italian cuisine were shared by all in Lu’s circle of life.

Her mother’s only regret was that her dear Lucille was the only Italian who could not roll a meatball – hers ended up as belly bombs.

In 1989, cognizant of her mother’s health needs, Lu moved closer to home and was assigned to teach English at Sacred Heart Academy.  For the next 13 years her expertise and giftedness as a teacher opened the minds and hearts of her students to the expansive and enriching world of literature while nurturing each student’s uniqueness and value. Social media abounds with heartfelt words of gratitude from students and companions for Lu’s fun-filled and compassionate presence.  The words joyful, generous, prayerful, and kind are ever-present themes capturing the essence of Lu’s full life.  One person commented that “Every Catholic Nun is really an angel on earth” – we can all imagine Lu’s playful and quick response to that.  She’d probably call him up to have lunch (and sell him some raffles).

As her mother’s health declined, Lu took a leave of absence for 5 years to care for her.  Again, there was a community of welcome and hospitality at the Montella home that was embraced by many.  She was never alone in her ministry of presence.

The next phase of Lu’s life brought her “back to the font” as she often said to serve her beloved community in Brentwood as General Secretary for 12 years and as an Administrative Secretary for 10 years while commuting back to her treasured community at Sacred Heart Convent, Hempstead.   The bonds she established with her sisters and the availability  of meaningful liturgies and opportunities for prayer were pure gift.In retirement or, as she called them, her Golden years, Lu found great joy and a sense of well-being sharing her time, talent and affable self in our CSJ Mission Advancement Office.   Her vibrant sense of mission and her delight in being a Sister of St. Joseph overflowed into a multitude of activities and events – not to mention countless calendar raffles and voluminous drawings for basket winners, all of which were deeply connected to LU’s lived CSJ Charism  of love of God and love of neighbor without distinction

One aspect of Lu’s ministry that was omitted from her profile but one that touched me and many others who attended Brentwood College was the summers she taught Psychology and Education courses and was a summer stand-in for our Mistresses.

Lu was a ray of sunshine that emanated a love for Gospel living and the joy of religious life.  By fostering a love of learning, a deep spirituality of everyday, ordinary holiness and a lived expression of joy and kindness –    seeds of friendship were planted that sustained us over the years.  She became – quite proudly, an honorary member of the Party Party of 1964.

Over the course of her lifetime, Lu was not only a sacrament of presence to many, but a prolific writer of tender, encouraging, witty and profound notes that seemed to come at just the right moment.  God’s spirit leapt from the written words embracing each person with compassion and love.

Some comments from Lu’s beloved community at Sacred Heart expressed, and I quote:  “It’s hard to put into words the ‘one and only’ Lu but we tried to give her the honor so well deserved.”
Lu was an advocate for all Partners in Mission at Sacred Heart.  She knew every team member’s family by name and would often remember Birthdays and Special Occasions with cards , prayers, and small gifts.

Lu wrote the Birthday Prayer read at Mass for every Sister in residence.  Rest assured, they were specifically tailored for the Sister and included great participation by all.  Nothing got by Lu in terms of knowing the Sister in a way that the prayer reflected her gifts and talents.

Lu was the glue that kept the House together, in addition to wearing a variety of celebratory pins.   As the Sister in Residence for over 40 years, she felt it important to lead in a manner that was unifying and always with an eye towards fun.  A negative word was never spoken with Lu around.

Thank you, Christine, and Sacred Heart community, for those beautiful words.

And now, as a faith community, rooted in the Gospel of Jesus, we stand in awe and prayerful gratitude to our dear Lu/Miriam Lucille, as she is welcomed home into the arms of her loving God.

Her legacy of unconditional, inclusive love, lived so authentically for 69 years as a Sister of St. Joseph, lives on in all those who were blessed to have walked with her in life.

Rest in Peace, dear friend. –

And, as promised, Lu, we will sing

Our Lady of Knock!  With an Italian flair!