Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella, renowned for holding the Guinness World Record as the oldest nun, celebrated another milestone this week.
AMITYVILLE, N.Y. — This week marked another momentous occasion for Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella, the Guinness World Record holder as the world’s oldest nun, as she joyfully celebrated her 113th birthday.
“I’ve stopped counting the years,” she playfully remarked during an interview with WABC.
Born in 1913, Sister Piscatella embarked on her spiritual journey with the Order of the Sisters of Saint Dominic in Amityville, New York, at the age of 17 in 1931. Despite a childhood accident that led to the partial amputation of her left arm, her resolve to become a nun remained unshaken.
“As a Dominican sister, I had to prove that having one arm wouldn’t hinder me,” she stated with determination.
Her remarkable perseverance not only allowed her to keep pace with her fellow sisters but also propelled her to a distinguished career in education. Over nine decades of dedicated service, she has inspired countless individuals, teaching at both the high school level and as a professor at Molloy College in New York for an impressive 52 years.
“She’s very sweet,” said her great-great niece, Alexa Grimle. “She has a lot of great life advice.”
At her birthday celebration this week, Piscatella received a proclamation from Pope Leo, who is the 10th pope to be elected in her lifetime. She said faith, family and good fortune have given her a beautiful life.
