Born in New York City, Sr. Cecelia was one of six children, four brothers and a sister. Soon after she graduated from St. Simon Stock High School, Bronx, NY, in 1962, she began her journey as a Franciscan Sister.
After graduating Ladycliff College with a BA in History, she earned a Masters Degree from Seton Hall University in Reading and an MS from Yeshiva University in Social Work.
During her early years of ministry, Sr. Cecelia taught in both elementary school and high school. These years gave her invaluable experience and understanding of how best to communicate with her students and their parents, a wonderful segue to her desire to be a compassionate presence to all those who needed her counsel. Thus, her longing to become skilled in developing the fine qualities needed as a Social Worker to provide therapeutic support to families.
Sr. Cecelia’s ability to bring a sense of calmness and stability to every situation enabled her to spend many years at Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, NJ where she gave of herself totally to the children and their parents day after day. Just recently, she recalled how satisfying it was to see such positive changes in the children. This gave her great Joy! Both colleagues and those to whom she ministered recognized her goodness, her genuine care and concern, her capacity to be ever present!
In recent years, due to ill health, Sr. Cecelia has had to withdraw from active ministry. However, she continues to bring that same sense of positive support to everyone she encounters.
Afterall, she is truly Franciscan from head to toe!
 

TOP OF PAGE

My arrival in this world occurred on a snowy New Year’s evening at St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic, NJ, the home town of my mother. I was the second child of Edna (nee Byrnes) Wacker and Herman Wacker. Arriving in at 9 lbs.12 ounces, my mother frequently told the story that I was the biggest baby in the nursery at the time and to document the event, one of the nurses took a photo of me in the center surrounded by the other babies. Much to my mother’s disappointment, she never received the photo. One of my father’s favorite stories was that I arrived just in time for him to claim me as a tax deduction for the year! And as for my brother’s memory, to this day, he often tells the story that he was unable to enjoy his train set that Christmas since he spent his time at the house of relatives due to my anticipated arrival.
I grew up in a Franciscan Parish in East Rutherford, New Jersey and was educated by the Benedictine Sisters in elementary school. After graduating from elementary school, I was planning to attend St. Mary’s High School, a school staffed by the Caldwell Dominicans and located in Rutherford, NJ; however, the enrollment necessitated split sessions and I would have had to attend school from 1:00-6:00pm. Since the school was a distance and the winter hours would require that I return home in the dark, my parents enrolled me in the local public high school.
In my high school days, I was an avid CYO basketball player, CCD teacher and Treasurer of the Youth Club in my parish. During my high school days, I toyed with the idea of a religious vocation, but it was not to be immediately after high school. Upon graduating from high school, I enrolled in Seton Hall University and it was during my junior year that Fr. Giles Bello OFM arranged a meeting for me with Sr. Francis Marie, the principal at Our Lady of Holy Angels, Little Falls, New Jersey, the school where I later would become principal. It was shortly after that meeting with sister that I responded to the call and entered the Peekskill Franciscans in 1962, a community that I never knew before that introduction. Eventually, I went on to receive both my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education from Seton Hall University.
However, some 60 years later, I have only ministered directly in education for a total of 14 years, 12 at the elementary level and 2 at the college level. I also spent 2 years in service as a Child Care Worker and 2 years as a Physical Plant Manager at our former Motherhouse. Most of my religious life has been in direct service to my community as the Treasurer for a total of 32 years. Simultaneously to some of those 32 years as Treasurer, I spent half of those years also serving in elected leadership as a Councilor. Although a recipient of degrees in education, I surmise that some of these financial skills and abilities were inherited from my father, who was the Controller of Chase Manhattan Bank when he retired.
Currently, I am serving in my 7th year as the Congregation Minister (President) of my community. Besides service within my own community, I have been extensively involved for more than 21 years with Marian Woods, a collaborative independent living facility serving our retired sisters in an inter-community setting. During those years, I have served on a variety of committees; however, I currently serve on the Finance Committee and as Chairperson of the Marian Woods Board of Directors.
Truly, as I reflect back over the years, it has been an incredible journey! I often reflect on a quote attributed to Jessica Taylor: “You may not always end up where you thought you were going. But you will always end up where you were meant to be.”.

TOP OF PAGE