A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, Jan. 2, at St. Pius X Parish in Tucson, Ariz., for Sister Carolyn Nicolai (formerly Sister John Vianney), a Franciscan Sister of Peace, who died on Dec. 14 after a brief time in hospice at The Center Nursing Facility in Tucson, also in Arizona. She was 85.
Sister Nicolai was born in 1940 in Teaneck, N.J., to Marie and C. W. Nicolai and had a sister, Marie, who later married Jim Wyble and had five children: Daniel, Kenneth (K.C.), Carolyn, Janet, and Mark. Sister Nicolai grew up in Ridgefield Park, Bogota, and Kinnelon, all in New Jersey. She graduated from Butler High School in 1958 and then attended Miller Secretarial School. Sister Nicolai was employed as a secretary in New York City until 1960.
That year, Sister Nicolai entered the Franciscan Sisters of Peace in Peekskill, N.Y. and began a life of service that spanned 65 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and education from Ladycliff College in Highland Falls, N.Y., and a master’s degree in religious education from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y.
During her early years of ministry, Sister Nicolai taught in several Catholic elementary schools in New York and New Jersey. Though she loved teaching, she also felt called to minister to the elderly in the Kennedy Residence in Pompton Lakes, N.J., and Bethany Residence in Wayne, N.J. She was also a pastoral associate at St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J.
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In 1989, Sister Nicolai moved to Arizona. There, she was a pastoral associate at St. Joseph’s Parish in Winslow, then served the Yaqui and Tohono Oodham Tribes at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Tucson, and, for 20 years, became the diocesan director of Pastoral Ministry to Nursing Homes with Carmelite Father Angelo Mastria, starting in 1994. Sister Nicolai received the Employee of the Year Award from Catholic Community Services of South Arizona in 1996.
For more than 20 years, Sister Nicolai volunteered in prisons and later mentored women released from prison. After retiring from active ministry in 2015, she continued serving the elderly and mentoring the women she had come to love.
Sister Nicolai spent her final years at Atria Bell Court Gardens Senior Living, where she formed many friendships and ministered through prayer and presence. She loved people, animals, and music.
Sister Nicolai is survived by her nephews, Kenneth (K.C.) and Mark, her niece, Carolyn, several grand-nieces, many cousins, and her Franciscan of Peace community.
A Mass will be celebrated with Sister Nicolai’s Franciscan Sisters of Peace at a later date at Marian Woods in Hartsdale, N.Y. Interment will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Yonkers, N.Y. immediately following the Mass.
Obituary: Sister Carolyn Nicolai, a Franciscan Sister of Peace, 85 #Catholic –
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, Jan. 2, at St. Pius X Parish in Tucson, Ariz., for Sister Carolyn Nicolai (formerly Sister John Vianney), a Franciscan Sister of Peace, who died on Dec. 14 after a brief time in hospice at The Center Nursing Facility in Tucson, also in Arizona. She was 85.
Sister Nicolai was born in 1940 in Teaneck, N.J., to Marie and C. W. Nicolai and had a sister, Marie, who later married Jim Wyble and had five children: Daniel, Kenneth (K.C.), Carolyn, Janet, and Mark. Sister Nicolai grew up in Ridgefield Park, Bogota, and Kinnelon, all in New Jersey. She graduated from Butler High School in 1958 and then attended Miller Secretarial School. Sister Nicolai was employed as a secretary in New York City until 1960.
That year, Sister Nicolai entered the Franciscan Sisters of Peace in Peekskill, N.Y. and began a life of service that spanned 65 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and education from Ladycliff College in Highland Falls, N.Y., and a master’s degree in religious education from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y.
During her early years of ministry, Sister Nicolai taught in several Catholic elementary schools in New York and New Jersey. Though she loved teaching, she also felt called to minister to the elderly in the Kennedy Residence in Pompton Lakes, N.J., and Bethany Residence in Wayne, N.J. She was also a pastoral associate at St. Nicholas Parish in Passaic, N.J.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
In 1989, Sister Nicolai moved to Arizona. There, she was a pastoral associate at St. Joseph’s Parish in Winslow, then served the Yaqui and Tohono Oodham Tribes at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Tucson, and, for 20 years, became the diocesan director of Pastoral Ministry to Nursing Homes with Carmelite Father Angelo Mastria, starting in 1994. Sister Nicolai received the Employee of the Year Award from Catholic Community Services of South Arizona in 1996.
For more than 20 years, Sister Nicolai volunteered in prisons and later mentored women released from prison. After retiring from active ministry in 2015, she continued serving the elderly and mentoring the women she had come to love.
Sister Nicolai spent her final years at Atria Bell Court Gardens Senior Living, where she formed many friendships and ministered through prayer and presence. She loved people, animals, and music.
Sister Nicolai is survived by her nephews, Kenneth (K.C.) and Mark, her niece, Carolyn, several grand-nieces, many cousins, and her Franciscan of Peace community.
A Mass will be celebrated with Sister Nicolai’s Franciscan Sisters of Peace at a later date at Marian Woods in Hartsdale, N.Y. Interment will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Yonkers, N.Y. immediately following the Mass.