Shortly after joining the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Sister Carolyn Puccio learned the meaning of the order’s call to “responding to the needs of the time.” Predecessors in her order arrived in Minnesota in 1851 during a cholera epidemic, so they learned the biggest need was not for a school, as planned, but for a hospital.
Similarly, after Sister Carolyn entered the convent more than 60 years ago, she planned to be a nurse but was told “we think God wants you to be a teacher. … We staff 87 grade schools and four hospitals. Trust me, God wants you to be a teacher.”
That theme of responding to needs has been part of her 63 years in religious life.
“Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley recently interviewed Sister Carolyn about her calling to religious life and provides a glimpse at her decades of service. For the past 10 years, she has served the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as delegate for consecrated life, which includes religious priests, brothers and sisters; members of secular institutes; societies of apostolic life; consecrated virgins living in the world and hermits. With her characteristic humor, she added, “I tell people ‘the hermits aren’t a lot of trouble, and frankly, they never show up for anything either.’”
During the interview, Sister Carolyn also recalled her years of serving several rural parishes, which she said enabled her to “engage in the lives of the people.”
“We didn’t have the luxury of saying, ‘Well, I only do this or I only do that.’ So, what I was doing was engaging in people’s lives, sharing their joys and their sorrows. It was a privileged place to be, for which I was both humbled and grateful,” she said. Her responsibilities included “visiting the sick, comforting the dying, preparing families for baptism and other sacraments, leading Communion services, sharing reflections on the Scripture.”
Her contributions over the years have also included serving as a licensed psychologist, in leadership for her religious community and in doing development work for Carondelet Village in St. Paul.
Sister Carolyn said what she treasures most over her life of service are the “wonderful opportunities” she’s had to connect with people in their lives, “whether it was in a parish, as a psychotherapist or in leadership, getting to know our own sisters,” she said. “I don’t think I can single out one thing, but that’s been the greatest blessing.”
She added that she’s “not really retiring” as she will continue to see clients as a counselor, as well as undertake other projects and perhaps have some involvement in “archdiocesan endeavors.”
To learn more about Sister Carolyn’s ministry and her tips for people considering consecrated life, listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts at 9 p.m. June 9 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. June 10 and 2 p.m. June 11. Other information about religious life is available at the archdiocesan Office of Vocations website, 10000vocations.org.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview with Elizabeth Felsheim, a Catholic wedding planner, who describes her business and how she works to keep Christ at the center of what she says can be an incredibly stressful time; and Doctor Gary and Mary Williams, married for 52 years, and parents of Bishop Joseph Williams and Father Peter Williams, who discuss married life ahead of the annual Archdiocesan Marriage Day June 10, which will include Mass, renewal of vows and a brief reception.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.
