Sister Mary Charitine Stankiewicz, Teacher
Sister Mary Charitine, 94, a Felician Sister for 76 years, died in Blessed Mary Angela Care Center, Buffalo, NY, on October 9, 2017.   The former Dorothy Stankiewicz was born on July 30, 1923 in Buffalo, NY.  She was a member of St. Casimer Parish in Buffalo.  She entered the Buffalo Province of the Felician Sisters on July 7, 1941 and professed perpetual vows on August 6, 1949.  After graduating from the Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy, Buffalo, NY, she furthered her education at The Canisius College of  Buffalo, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and at St. Bonaventure University , St. Bonaventure, NY, where she earned a Master of Arts degree.

SM Charitine began her teaching ministry at Queen of All Saints Catholic Elementary School in Lackawanna, NY.  She continued teaching at the primary and intermediate levels at many Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese of Buffalo for a total of fifty-five years. Being concerned that all her students learn, she often tutored those who had difficulty learning.  At St. Edmund School, Tonawanda, NY, Sister Charitine served as the principal in addition to teaching for six years. Her only teaching experience outside the Diocese of Buffalo was at St. Catherine of Siena School in Binghamton, NY, for a year.

In 1997, Sister Charitine began her services at Villa Angela Convent, Elma, NY, where she assisted in maintaining this home for the use of the sisters and offered them hospitality.  In 2004, she joined the community at the Provincial House where she was involved in auxiliary services which included mail distribution.  From 2006 to 2014, she resided at St. Francis Residence Convent where she continued assisting the sisters in various capacities insofar as she was capable of helping them.

On February 14, 2014, Sister Charitine became a patient in the Blessed Mary Angela Care Center, Buffalo, NY.  During her stay in the care center, she was always a kind, gentle and helpful presence to the sisters. In 2016, when Sister Charitine celebrated her 75 ^th anniversary in religious life, she stated, "I am most grateful for my family, my religious vocation and the privilege of daily Eucharistic adoration."