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Sr. Mary Valenta  Akalski Sr. Mary Valenta  Akalski Sr. Mary Valenta  Akalski Sr. Mary Valenta  Akalski Sr. Mary Valenta  Akalski Sr. Mary Valenta  Akalski
In Memory of
Sr. Mary Valenta 
Akalski
1939 -
2018

Obituary for Sr. Mary Valenta Akalski

Sr. Mary Valenta   Akalski
Sister Mary Valenta Akalski
After a life given to the Lord Jesus Christ as a Felician Franciscan, Sister Mary Valenta Akalski died on Saturday, June 23, 2018 in Worcester, Massachusetts. She was 78 years old and had been a Felician Sister for 58 years.
The former Bertha Akalski, Sister Mary Valenta was born on July 12, 1939 in Bronx, New York. This coming July 12, she would have marked her 79th birthday, celebrating with her dear twin Sister Jeanne Marie Akalski.
Bertha entered the Felician Sisters in Lodi, New Jersey on August 1, 1959. She received her habit and the name Sister Mary Valenta on August 14, 1960. Depending where you research, you will find out that the name Valenta is not a frequently used name. Some resources say there is no special meaning, but for others the word seems to point to strength. If her name means strength, those who know her will attest that her strength was gentle and rooted in the Lord.
When she entered the Felician Sisters, she was destined to become a teacher as most of the Sisters were at that time. Through the years she taught in elementary schools staffed by the Felician Sisters in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Massachusetts.
However, her years as a Felician Sister went in some interesting directions. In 1974 and 1975 she was a member of the Holy House in Washington, New Jersey where she prayed intensely and supported the devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. In 1979 and 1980 she taught kindergarten and worked as a culinary aide in Our Lady of Grace Home for Children in Newark, Delaware. In 1980 until 1982 she returned to the Bronx to be a caregiver for her mother before her mother’s death. From 1986 until 1989 she was on the culinary staff of the Felician Sisters’ Generalate in Rome.
In 2010 she became a part of the staff at Saint Joseph’s School in Webster, joining her twin sister in serving God. Her love of the children in kindergarten was ever so apparent. She saw in them the Goodness of Almighty God. Not only did Sister Valenta minister to the children in the school, she also supported the parish, helping at Bingo and other events, coming to devotions in church and getting to know all the people of this faith community.
On Saturday, June 16 she and her twin helped at the parish festival and on the way back to the convent, Sister Valenta suffered a cardiac arrest. Her final week of life was spent supported by the respirator that gave her breath. On Saturday, June 23, her twin sister bravely gave permission for the respirator to be removed. In a few hours Sister Valenta entered eternity, welcomed by the Loving God whom she had faithfully served her entire life.
Sister Mary Valenta is survived by her twin sister, Sister Jeanne Marie Akalski of Webster, Massachusetts. She is also mourned by the members of her Felician Community in New Jersey and Connecticut and by her professional colleagues.
Her funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Friday, June 29 in Saint Joseph Basilica, 53 Whitcomb Street. Visiting hours will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 PM on Thursday, June 28 in the Sitkowski & Malboeuf Funeral Home, 340 School Street, Webster and again from 10:00 to 11:00 AM Friday in the basilica, prior to the Mass.
A second Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 AM Monday, July 2 in Our Lady of the Angels Convent Chapel, 1315 Enfield Street, Enfield Ct, with visitation from 9:30 AM until 10:30 AM. Burial will be in Saint Adalbert Cemetery, Enfield. Services in Connecticut will be under the direction of Browne Memorial Funeral Chapels. Donations in her name may be sent to Sr. Jeanne Marie Akalski, 5 Maynard Street, Webster, for either the Felician Sisters or for a scholarship in honor of Sister Mary Valenta that will be presented at graduation of St. Joseph School in 2019.
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