Sister Mary Angelica, 84, a Felician Sister for 67 years, died in Blessed Mary Angela Convent Cheektowaga, New York, on Sunday, August 9, 2020.  The former Marcella Bielski was born on August 25, 1935, in Buffalo, NY to the late Frances Bielski.  She entered the Buffalo Province of the Felician Sisters on July 16, 1953, from St. Stanislaus BM Parish, Buffalo, NY, and professed perpetual vows on August 3, 1961.  She graduated from Villa Maria Academy in Buffalo.  She held a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from Rosary Hill (Daemon) College, Amherst, NY, a Master of Science degree in Business Education from The New York University in New York City and a Master in Education in School Administration degree from Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA. Sister Angelica is survived by her Cousin and Goddaughter, Donna M. Baer.

Sister Angelica began her teaching ministry at Transfiguration School in Syracuse, NY.  She continued teaching children at the elementary level in various Catholic schools in the Diocese of Buffalo.  The last elementary school at which she taught was ironically Transfiguration School in Buffalo, NY.

In 1965, she began teaching Home Economics and Business courses at Villa Maria Academy in Buffalo.  She then taught  Business courses at Bishop Gibbons High School in North Tonawanda, NY, and Cardinal O'Hara High School in Tonawanda, NY.  During her stay at Cardinal O'Hara, she also served at the Associate Principal and later, Assistant Principal – a position she held for 5 years.  In 1979, Sister Angelica became the principal at Villa Maria Academy where she remained for 17 years.  Though she enjoyed all her teaching and leadership experiences, she did all in her power to help Villa Maria Academy grow and flourish.  When she was honored by the Am-Pol Eagle Newspaper for her contribution to Education, one of her fellow sisters remarked, "SM Angelica IS Villa Maria Academy."

Following her years of involvement in Education, Sister Angelica served as Executive Secretary and Assistant Director at Father Justin's Rosary Hour, a project sponsored by the Conventual Franciscan Friars. She also served at the Catholic Center of the Diocese, in the Diocese of Buffalo, and was the Editor of the Catholic Directory of the Diocese of Buffalo and was Secretary at St. Joseph Cathedral, Assistant Archivist and Substitute Chancery Receptionist.  In 2007, Sister Angelica was a receptionist at Villa Maria College of Buffalo.

Due to illness, she became a patient at Blessed Mary Angela Care Center in Buffalo on November 11, 2016.  Though she suffered many physical losses, she never lost her interest in the sisters.  In a blurb she submitted in an anniversary book on her 60 ^th anniversary of religious life she stated, "I am grateful for the many sisters with whom I lived, and for all the young people whose lives I touched and who touched me as well."

Felician Sisters and family will celebrate a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial at a future date.

Interment at St. Stanislaus Cemetery, in Cheektowaga, New York.

Memorials may be made to Felician Sisters, 600 Doat Street Cheektowaga, New York 14211.

A gathering will be held at a future date. Please check back for updates to this information. In the meantime, please share a picture in our online Photo Album or a favorite memory in our Guest Book here on Sister Angelica's Tribute page.

Sister Angelica's Memorial Video.....

https://vimeo.com/446663254