SISTER FRANCIS JOSEPH SCARPELLO, R.A. '40
“Few of my acquaintance have worked so long and so diligently in service to God and His people.” So wrote Chestnut Hill graduate Mary Kay Shubert Denny when nominating her classmate from the Class of 1940, Sister Francis Joseph Scarpello, for the Chestnut Hill College Alumnae/i Distinguished Achievement Award. A review of her life, which spans the decades and circles the globe, will show why Mary Kay Denny and her classmates so strongly support her candidacy for this prestigious award.
After her graduation from Chestnut Hill with a bachelor of arts degree in French, Rachel Scarpello earned a teaching certificate and began a twenty-year career at Ravenhill Academy in Philadelphia where she enjoyed several positions ranging from English and French teacher, to guidance counselor, and eventually to principal. It was at Ravenhill that she became acquainted with the mission and works of the Religious of the Assumption, an international religious order of sisters, headquartered in Paris, France. After 12 years of working as a layperson at Ravenhill, Rachel decided to enter the order she had come to admire so much in 1953 and professed her final vows in Paris in 1955. When asked what caused this life-changing decision, Sister recalled that “these educators had a way of life that enabled them to become holy and I wanted to find a way to holiness! Chestnut Hill College nurtured the call to service that I had and my education there gave me a global vision to enter an international order of religious sisters.” The very next day after her profession of final vows, Sister Francis Joseph was sent to Rome to begin studies in theology at Regina Mundi Institute. While there as a student, she also taught English at Rome’s Assumption College.
After returning to the United States, Sister Francis Joseph studied guidance and counseling at Fordham University and at the University of Pennsylvania while teaching English and education courses at Villanova University from 1961 to 1964. During this time, Sister also took courses in administration at Notre Dame University.
During the mid-sixties, Sister embarked on a period of her career that could only be described as “the globe trotting years.” She taught English at the Junior College of St. Dizier, France for two years before packing her bags for a five-year stint in Asia. While living in Manila, Sister became the coordinator for her order’s social action projects in the Philippines. The Philippine government subsequently honored her for her work in establishing the Maryville Housing Project, whose families have had a remarkable record of achievement. While living in Manila, Sister traveled each month to Osaka, Japan to teach English to the students at Osaka Junior College.
Not one to be satisfied with teaching alone, Sister also became a student again while in Manila and earned her second master of arts degree in theology of social action, from the Asian Social Institute.
The 1970s brought Sister Francis Joseph to several assignments in Europe. She labored as the organizational manager of the “Cause for Beatification” process for the founder of the Religious of the Assumption, Mother Marie Eugenie, who was declared “Blessed” in 1975. (It is anticipated that Mother Marie Eugenie will be canonized a saint in the Catholic Church in 2004, thanks in great part to the work of Sister Francis Joseph.)
While Americans were celebrating their nation’s bicentennial in 1976, Sister began a new assignment in Rome as the executive secretary for the International Union of Superiors General. This job required her to coordinate the needs and concerns of 2,285 leaders of religious orders worldwide who report to the Vatican. With a staff of 21 secretaries representing 17 nationalities, Sister’s multi-lingual skills were certainly an asset. While in Rome she experienced seeing “three Popes in one month” with the death of Pope Paul VI, the election and death of Pope John Paul I, and the election of Pope John Paul II.
Sister said, “it was such an historic time for the Church and it was so exciting to experience it first hand!”
As much as she loved her work abroad, Sister was happy to be called back to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1980 when she became involved in the Church’s Peace and Justice ministry. As part of her service to the Archdiocese, Sister became the director of the “Outreach Lector Series” of the Faith-Justice Institute of Saint Joseph’s University. There she provided a forum for thoughtful dialog between the academic campus and the larger community on Catholic social thought on contemporary issues.
Director of the Faith-Justice Institute, Dr. Frank M. Bernt recently said of Sister Francis Joseph, “her quiet wisdom, borne of so many years of experience in giving to others from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe, is a valuable resource and gift very much appreciated…” Sister continues the vital work of the lecture series today while also serving her neighborhood community. In her newest venture, she has chosen to confront the problem of violence in schools by initiating a “Peace Pilgrim” program at St. Francis de Sales Elementary School in the West Philadelphia parish where she lives. She also continues to provide leadership and advice on numerous congregational, civic, and parish organizations.
In a letter endorsing her nomination for this award, Mr. Jean-Loup Archawski wrote, “only a book could do justice to comprehensively describe the history of Sr. Francis Joseph’s achievement in professional, community, religious, educational, cultural, or other civic causes.” He was correct.
Perhaps Sister Frances Hart, SSJ, director of the Alumni Service Program at Saint Joseph’s University, summed it up best when she said of our award winner: “I can think of no one whose life of service to the Gospel, and to the Catholic intellectual tradition, serves as a better example of the mission and core values that Chestnut Hill College professes!”
