Paula A. Smith
The Pittsburgh Catholic

At 100 years old, Sister M. Aelred Schroeffel, the oldest member of the Western Pennsylvania Region of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, based in Syracuse, N.Y., says she felt called to religious life when she was 12.

Sister Aelred wanted to become a nun following a visit with classmates from Most Holy Name of Jesus School in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood to the Franciscans’ Mount Alvernia motherhouse. The oldest of nine children, she entered the convent at 17, despite her father’s reluctance, and never questioned her vocation of 83 years.

“I wanted to be a teacher,” Sister Aelred said. “I saw how the sisters were doing it, and I was attracted to it.”

She attended Duquesne University and received a bachelor’s degree in education in 1937 and a master’s degree in education in 1942. She taught chemistry, biology and physics at local Catholic high schools, although that’s not all former students remember about her.

One of Sister Aelred’s science students is retired Aux. Bishop William Winter whom she taught at St. Michael High School on Pittsburgh’s South Side.

“She was a very active teacher,” Bishop Winter said. “She was practical and illustrated concepts so you could understand them. She was also a good sports person. I can still recall during an intramural when Sister was giving boys tips on how to play basketball. She gave little hints and added her help to the boys.”

Dr. Mary Ann Miknevich, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at UPMC Mercy, was also taught by Sister at the same school. Miknevich remembered her creativity in teaching that made learning fun. She described Sister Aelred as a special nun who stands out as an exceptional person.

“Sister Aelred was the kind of person who always made you believe in yourself,” she said. “Her motto was, ‘You can be anything you want to be.’

“When I was growing up, girls became nurses not doctors. Sister Aelred told me, ‘You’re smart enough to become a doctor, and you go and become a doctor.’ And I did. I became her doctor.”

Miknevich recalled Sister praying for the class and for sports teams. As a faithful Pittsburgh sports fan, Sister enjoys watching the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates games.

“She was always the chaperone for sporting events,” said Miknevich. “When we traveled to games, Sister was always leading the students in enthusiastic fight songs.”

Sister also led the students to pray the rosary.

“She always prays the rosary and always gave out rosaries,” Miknevich said. “The rosary is her greatest devotion.”

With rosary beads in hand, Sister continues to share devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and attends Mass every day at Mount Alvernia, where she resides.

After Sister Aelred retired from teaching, she served as assistant to the pathologist at St. Francis Hospital in New Castle for nine years. She then volunteered to record the daily annals of the congregation for 13 years at Mount Alvernia.

Sister Mary Meyer, local coordinator of the health care unit at St. Francis convent at Mount Alvernia, said Sister Aelred is a “delight.”

“She is very sociable, intelligent and involved in every activity,” Sister Mary said.