Sister Aurelia Cerny
July 18, 1934 - February 12, 2016
Sister M. Aurelia (Mary) Cerny died on February 12, 2016, at St. Clare Hospital in Denville, N.J. She was 81 and in her 62nd year of religious life.
Sister Aurelia was born in New York City, N.Y. on July 18, 1934, to John and Ann Julia (Balaga) and was baptized in the church of St. John Nepomucene. She had one brother, Francis, who preceded her in death, and a younger sister, Margaret. During her early years, her family moved to Brentwood on Long Island, N.Y., where she was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph in elementary school. Her family then moved to Clifton, N.J. at the end of her junior year in high school. She attended Pope Pius XII Diocesan High School in Passaic, N.J. for her senior year.
As a member of SS. Cyril & Methodius Church in Clifton, N.J., Mary joined the choir conducted by one of our sisters, Sister Mary Therese Sedlock, OSF. This was her first contact with the School Sisters of St. Francis, who were teaching in the parish grade school. After graduating from high school in 1951, Mary worked for about six months and had the opportunity to spend time getting to know our sisters. It was this interaction that stirred within her a calling to religious life.
Mary was accepted at Mount Assisi Convent in Pittsburgh, Pa., by Mother M. Mildred Zaremba, provincial minister of the former Pittsburgh Province. She began her postulancy on January 31, 1953. On August 2, 1953, she was received into novitiate at Mount Assisi Convent and was given the name of Sister Aurelia. The following year she professed first vows and began her active ministry teaching the primary and middle grades at St. Patrick School in Canonsburg, Pa.; St. Anthony School in Clymer, Pa.; and SS. Cyril & Methodius School in Clifton, N.J. During the summers, she attended Mount Mercy College (Carlow University) in Pittsburgh, Pa.
After her final vows in 1959, Sister went on to teach at St. Francis Academy in Bethlehem, Pa.; St. Ann School in Emmaus, Pa.; and Blessed Virgin Mary School in Northampton, Pa. Sister then returned to St. Francis Academy to teach English, religion, science, math, French and political science until 1968, when she returned to Emmaus and taught math and science. During her years of teaching she earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary general science from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and a master’s degree from Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J., majoring in administration and minoring in secondary education.
For the remainder of her ministry in education from 1971 to 2011, she served as principal at schools in West Lawn and Emmaus in Pennsylvania and in New Milford, Closter, Demarest and Denville in New Jersey. She spent the last few years volunteering and caring for her family members while living in Parsippany, N.J.
Sister is buried in St. Francis Cemetery at Monocacy Manor in Bethlehem, Pa.