Sister Mary Desponsata Biadasz, 100, died in Holy Family Infirmary, Enfield, CT on October 6, 2008, in her 83rd year of religious life in the Felician Sisters Congregation.
The former Josephine Biadasz was born in Webster, MA on February 5, 1908 and was the last of seven children born to Michael and Mary (Nowak) Biadasz. She was a member of St. Joseph's Parish, Webster, MA and graduated from Immaculate Conception High School, Lodi, NJ before entering the Felician Sisters in Lodi on August 26, 1925. She professed perpetual vows on August 20, 1933. In 1934, she was transferred to the newly established Our Lady of the Angels Province in Enfield, CT.
Her educational background included a B.S. in Education from Mount St. Mary's College, Hooksett, NH.
For more than 55 years, Sister Desponsata was in active ministry, working as an elementary school teacher in schools staffed by the Felician Sisters in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire and MA. For 15 years she worked as a catechist in parishes in Greenfield, MA, Pittsfield, MA, and Enfield, CT. She served as local minister in Greenfield and Pittsfield as well as in Florida and Kingston, NY.
To celebrate Sister Desponsata's 100th birthday, more than 20 nieces, nephews, and cousins arrived at Holy Family Infirmary on Sunday, February 3. Relatives came from as far away as Florida and Alabama and Sister received cards from Poland and France. Former students remembered her, too, most notably Rev. Gary M. Dailey, now Vocation Director for the diocese of Springfield, MA.
In November of 2003, Sister was admitted to Holy Family Infirmary in Enfield.
Sister Desponsata was predeceased by three brothers: Stanley, Frank and Victor; and three sisters: Sister Mary Leocretia and Sister Mary Apollinaris, also of the Felician Sisters; and Agnes Nierodzinski.
Friends will be received beginning at 2 p.m. on October 7, at Our Lady of the Angels Provincial House, 1315 Enfield Street, Enfield. The wake service will begin at 4:30 p.m. followed by Evening Praise. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the convent chapel on October 8, at 10:30 a.m. Interment will take place in the Felician Sisters' plot in St. Adalbert's Cemetery, Enfield. In her memory, donations to the Felician Sisters Retirement Fund, 1315 Enfield Street, Enfield, CT, will be gratefully received.