Obituary of Theresa Di Nunzio

Sister of Christian Charity Theresa Di Nunzio passed away on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at Mallinckrodt Convent, Mendham, New Jersey. Theresa Marie Di Nunzio was born on December 8, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Camillo and Elodia (Sacripante) Di Nunzio. She entered the Sisters of Christian Charity on August 31, 1947 in Mendham and began her Novitiate on August 21, 1948, receiving the name Sister Concepta. Later she resumed her Baptismal name and was known as Sister Theresa.  She professed her First Vows on August 21,1950, and her Perpetual Vows on August 20, 1956.

Sister Theresa attended St. Donato School and West Philadelphia Catholic Girls’ High School, both in Philadelphia and graduated from Immaculata High School, Mendham.  She earned a Bachelor of Science from College Misericordia (now Misericordia University), Dallas, PA, and a Master of Science from Marywood College (now Marywood University), Scranton, PA.

Sister Theresa’s active apostolate as a Sister of Christian Charity was lovingly dedicated to the education of young children in Catholic schools as teacher and principal. Sister’s ministry in Pennsylvania included Hazleton (Holy Trinity), Williamsport (St. Boniface), Pittston (St. Mary), Wilkes-Barre (St. Nicholas and St. Boniface), Bastress (Immaculate Conception), Reading (St. Paul), Scranton (St. Mary), Luzerne (Sacred Heart), Mountain Top (St. Jude), and Allentown (Our Lady Help of Christians). In New Jersey, Sister’s ministry included: Netcong (St. Michael), Newark (St. Augustine), Jersey City (St. Nicholas), Elizabeth (St. Michael), and Wharton (St. Mary). In New York, Sister Theresa served in the Bronx (Immaculate Conception).

In her later years, she retired to Holy Family Convent, Danville, PA, and in 2018, Sister Theresa was among the Sisters who moved to the new Motherhouse in Mendham, where she participated in a ministry of prayer and presence until the time of her death. 

Sister Theresa is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Mary and John Morrone, of Schwenksville, PA, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.  She was preceded in death by her beloved twin sister, Sister Marietta Di Nunzio, SCC, and by her brothers, Frank and Nicholas, and her sisters, Anna, Josephine and Frances.

Visitation will be held in the Chapel of Mary Immaculate at the Motherhouse in Mendham on Sunday, February 11, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., with Vespers being prayed at 4:30 p.m. Visitation will continue on Monday, February 12 from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., followed by the Liturgy of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery on the grounds of the Motherhouse. The funeral will be livestreamed at sccus.org.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Sister Theresa to the Sisters of Christian Charity, 350 Bernardsville Road, Mendham, NJ, 07945, or at sccus.org/donate.