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Memories from the Manor is a series that celebrates our beloved retired Sisters and their lives of dedicated service. It appears in our quarterly “Clelian Connection” e-newsletter. 

Sr. Adrianne DiLonardo has worn many hats throughout her 68 years as a professed Apostle. She served as a teacher, a school administrator, a member of the formation team, and as the Provincial Superior of the United States Province. Whether ministering to students or sister Apostles, she made a lasting impression on all those she served.

The child of Italian immigrants, Sr. Adrianne grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, and can trace her roots to the Congregation back to Italy, where two cousins had been Apostles. While her family had an inherent appreciation for the Apostles, it was the Sisters who taught CCD classes at her parish who made a lasting impression on her.

“I enjoyed being around the Sisters,” she recalled. “I would go after school and work side-by-side with them. My Dad would often bring something down to the convent for the holidays and my mom would bake things here and there. They became our friends.”

Sr. Adrianne started her ministry in elementary education at St. Joseph School in New York’s Chinatown district, where over the course of nine years, she taught nearly every grade level. After more than 20 years of shaping young minds as a teacher and school administrator, Sr. Adrianne went on to form future Apostles as Postulant Directress and Novice Directress.

In 1986, Sr. Adrianne was appointed Provincial Superior of the U.S. Province. After leading the Province for nine years, she was appointed Executive Director of Clelian Heights, the Apostles' school for children and adults with developmental disabilities in Greensburg, PA. Even after her tenure as Executive Director ended in 2002, she remained at Clelian Heights until her retirement to Sacred Heart Manor in 2016.

“Clelian Heights is such a beautiful and special place,” she said. “What a gift it was to be able to spend 20 years there."

This article was originally published in the April 2021 edition of the “Clelian Connection” e-newsletter. To join our mailing list, click here!