Sister Mary Laura Miceli

November 11, 1926-July 25, 2022

S.Mary Laura Miceli was born and raised in Lorain, Ohio. She entered the Sisters of Charity in September 1950 after first meeting the Community on a visit to Emmitsburg, Maryland, the site of the Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Being impressed with the life of Elizabeth and her spirit, S. Mary Laura said to herself, “I like these Sisters if only they were in Ohio.” A few months later she met a friend who had graduated from the College of Mount St. Joseph, staffed by these same Sisters having Mother Seton as their founder. S. Mary Laura held a firm belief that God had answered the desire first planted by her mother as she sent her off to school each morning, placing her under the protection of St. Joseph. She was a Sister of Charity for 71 years.

S. Mary Laura’s ministries represent more than 50 years in education and parish ministry, 30 in the classroom and curriculum coordination and 22 in parish and religious education. She began her years of service at Cathedral in Denver, Colorado, teaching primary age children. She continued at schools in Colorado and Ohio for the next eight years before moving to the junior high classroom for another 20 years.

In 1980 S. Mary Laura took a break from ministry and participated in the year-long Active Sabbatical Spirituality program at the College of Mount St. Joseph. After completing the program she felt called to put education into action by sharing social justice opportunities with students and adults at Guardian Angels, Cincinnati (1981-’82). She then served four happy years at St. Andrew, Milford, Ohio, as religious education coordinator before administering the religious education program at Our Lady of the Rosary, Greenhills, Ohio (1986-2003). When ministering in a parish S. Mary Laura fully embraced the life of the parish. She served on the parish councils at St. Albert and Our Lady of the Rosary. She was also an active member of the school board at St. Elizabeth and St. Andrew. She particularly valued the contributions of the families in parish life.

S. Mary Laura retired in 2003 and became a reliable Motherhouse volunteer in Arts and Crafts lending her creative skills with many re-use/second-use items. A highlight for her was a pilgrimage to Italy in 2012 with the members of Our Lady of the Rosary parish.

Remembers Associate Vicki Welsh, “I have so many wonderful memories with Mary Laura! She made a trip to Florida with me soon after I bought my convertible. She was a great traveling companion and loved to ride with the top down. We had a lot of laughs on our way to Homosassa.”