Sister Maria Kellner first met the Sisters of Saint Joseph when she received a partial scholarship to Nazareth College in 1950, a year after emigrating from Germany.  Sister Maria said she was inspired by the Sisters’ kindness, generosity, simplicity and care for the individual as well as their competence in their respective fields. 

During her 60th Jubilee celebration in 2015, Sister Maria reflected, “Sister Marie Augustine Smalt, my major professor in Chemistry, helped me enter the Convent in 1954, after I had worked in a research laboratory at Strong Memorial Hospital for a year. One time when I said I was doing things FOR Jesus, she replied: ‘Do everything WITH Jesus.’” 

Sister Maria said she was most grateful to God for “giving me a happy life in community and the ability to spread His kingdom by teaching the sciences and religion, at St. Agnes High School and at Nazareth Academy.”  After Sister contracted MS, she asked to work as pastoral care minister with our elderly Sisters at the SSJ Infirmary, trying to let them know how much God cared for them.

Most recently, Sister Maria was in the prayer ministry and also knitted hats, gloves, and scarves that were sold in the SSJ Gift Shop.