Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
2025 JUBILARIANS
SISTER RHODA KAY GLUNK, SCN
55th Jubilee
Always with a commitment to mission, Rhoda “Kay” Glunk, SCN, has served in a variety of ministries since entering the Vincentian Sisters of Charity 50 years ago, following graduation from Vincentian High School in 1966.
In her early days as a Sister, she brought her gifts to the classroom where she taught religion, math, and science at the junior high level. Sister Kay served the parish schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Greensburg, and Johnstown-Altoona in Pennsylvania. From 1977 to 1980 she was the religion teacher at Vincentian High School.
She served as the director of religious education at St. Thomas Parish in Clarksville, Pa., and later at Holy Trinity Parish in Ford City. As the director of religious education, Sister Kay provided religious instruction for students from kindergarten to grade 12, teacher training, and adult formation for parish lay ministers. At Holy Trinity, she initiated and directed the Tri-Parish Youth Ministry Program and the RCIA Program.
From 1981 to 1986, Sister Kay served in Monett, Mo., at St. Vincent’s Hospital, where she established and led the Pastoral Care Department. In her role as director of pastoral care, Sister Kay provided crisis intervention and counseling to patients. She acted as an advocate for victims of rape and sexual assault.
As a pastoral minister at St. Mary (Nativity) Parish in Uniontown, Sister Kay provided pastoral care for hospitalized parishioners and the sick and homebound members of the parish. She taught scriptural courses to adults and established a parish chapter of the Ladies of Charity, USA.
A steady leader, Sister Kay is described as being able to bring a personal touch as well as decisiveness to her leadership roles. She said, “Personally, I value compassion, integrity, sincerity, and openness, and continually challenge myself in those aspects.”
These qualities were critical as Sister Kay served in leadership with the Vincentian Sisters of Charity. Sister Kay also served on the Western Province Leadership team following the merger of the Vincentian Sisters of Charity and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
When Sister Kay was elected as vice-provincial years ago, she shared the following with her SCN Community: “My study of Scripture and Vincentian Spirituality deepened my personal growth and my commitment to community, and for the most part compels me to share this knowledge and experience. My prayer life challenges me to ‘be who I say that I am’ so that others, too, may know well the love of our God.”
Today, Sister Kay serves as treasurer of the SCN congregation and as a spiritual director for the Nazareth Retreat Center.
SISTER MARY ANN KROPILAK, SCN
55th Jubilee
As she celebrates 60 years as a Sister of Charity of Nazareth, Sister Mary Ann Kropilak recalls the influence of her parents and the Vincentian Sisters in grade school in answering her call to religious life.
Sister Mary Ann served at Vincentian Collaborative System in the finance department for 16 years. She spent many years in education ministries, including as a teacher and principal for eight years at St. Jude Elementary School in Montgomery, Ala..
Sister Mary Ann describes herself as compassionate, reliable and organized.
Reflecting on her many years in religious life, Sister Mary Ann said, “My journey in consecrated life began with a deep yearning to serve God, even as a young girl. I found the fulfillment I was seeking in living out the Vincentian charism to serve God and his people through a variety of ministries — teacher, principal, accountant, payroll clerk. My years in community life have provided me many joys and deep spiritual satisfaction.”
SISTER MARCELINA NAVARRO, SCN
50th Jubilee
Sister of Charity of Nazareth Marcelina Novarro always liked the colors of black and white. It was only fitting that they were the colors of her order. For most of her years in ministry, “Sister Marcie” has served as a nurse.
She worked the overnight shift in the personal care section at the Vincentian Home, a nursing care facility that is part of the Vincentian Collaborative System.
She has also worked at nursing facilities in Youngstown, Ohio, and Monet, Mo. I’ve lived a hidden life in a way, she said of her overnight hours.
A Johnstown native, Sister Marcie pointed out that she decided to become a religious sister after seeing one for the first time at the age of five or six when her mother took her to enroll in catechism classes. “When I first saw her, I thought that’s what I wanted to do when I grew up,” she said.
She confessed that the thought of entering religious life waned in the coming years, and it wasn’t until her senior year of high school that the thought returned. It was an encounter with a Franciscan brother who was teaching a religious education class at her parish that inspired her. She recalled the joy on his face as he taught about God.
“It was just glowing,” she said. Sister Marcie went on to enter the novitiate program of the Vincentian Sisters of Charity (the order merged with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in 2008). She received a nursing degree from the St. Francis School of Nursing.
In speaking about her call to religious life, Sister Marcie noted that she knows that it was where God called her to be. Her future, she added, is up to him.
“I take it day by day,” she said. “If something comes up, I’ll be led to where I’m supposed to be. “For those considering a vocation, Sister Marcie encouraged them to pray for guidance and to be honest and genuine in discerning where God is calling them to be.
“Look for the hand of God in your life,” she said. “Do his will. If he truly is calling you, you will feel it in your heart.”
This article originally ran in the Pittsburgh Catholic’s Vocations 2012 supplement.
SISTER LINDA SOLTIS, SCN
50th Jubilee
Sister Linda Soltis was born in May 1953 to Albert and Lois Soltis, the third of five children. Her arrival was met with deep joy, as her parents had prayed for another daughter after the tragic loss of their baby girl, Sandra, in a house fire.
According to her older brother Ray, Sister Linda’s religious vocation emerged early. Family black-and-white photographs capture her as a young girl clutching both a ballerina doll and a nun doll — an early symbol of the dual paths of grace and service. Given that she humorously admits the “grace and balance” genes may have skipped her, it seemed clear she was destined for religious life.
She spent her formative years in West Mifflin, Pa. After her birth, her parents welcomed two more children, Martin and Janice. Her father worked as an “Observer” for U.S. Steel Corporation and as a policeman at Kennywood Park, while her mother was a seamstress for a local dry cleaner.
During her senior year of high school, Linda began considering a religious vocation. Believing she needed more life experience before making such a commitment, she took a position in the accounting department at Westinghouse Credit Corporation. However, by age 19, she felt ready and chose to enter the Vincentian Sisters of Charity.
Her first teaching assignment was a surprising one — first grade at St. Ursula in Allison Park. Although she had noted on her ministry form that she was willing to teach any grade except first, that was exactly where she was placed — a clear early lesson in obedience. She went on to teach second grade at St. Robert Bellarmine in East McKeesport; fourth, seventh, and eighth grades at St. Agnes in North Huntingdon; and eighth grade at Holy Rosary in Republic.
Sister Linda earned a master’s degree in theology, which prepared her for an unexpected shift. When Sister Julia suffered a fall and could no longer serve as director of religious education (DRE) at St. Sebastian, Sister Linda was asked to leave her teaching post at Vincentian High School to take on the role. After two years as DRE, she was sent to St. Louis to study at the Institute of Religious Formation in preparation for serving as director of initial formation.
This ministry proved to be a turbulent and soul-searching period for her. Ultimately, Sister Linda discerned that her heart was not fully in formation ministry and requested to return to parish work. For 20 years, she served faithfully at St. Angela Merici Parish in White Oak, Pa. These years — like the ones before — were deeply enriching and meaningful. For Sister Linda, encountering and serving God’s people has always been a grace-filled privilege.
In 2009, the Vincentian Sisters of Charity merged with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (based in Kentucky), and Sister Linda transferred her vows to the SCN Congregation.
For years, Sister Linda remained in Pittsburgh, serving in pastoral care at Vincentian Home and then as a religious education teacher at Vincentian Academy. From 2015 to 2021, she was caretaker and sacristan for St. Louise Convent, as well as an ESL tutor. Sister Linda moved to Nazareth, Ky., in 2021 and currently works in the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth Office of Mission Advancement.