By Katie Vasquez
Not a day passes that Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella doesn’t say her prayers.
The Long Island nun has a lot to be grateful for, celebrating her 112th birthday on Easter Sunday.
“It feels okay to be 112, but I, if you really think about it. I would like to be much younger,” said Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella.
It’s a milestone her friend of 71 years, Sister Francis Daniel Kammer says she nearly didn’t make.
“She had a terrible brain bleed, 10 years ago. and they thought that she was never going to walk again or talk again. and here she is walking and talking,” said Sister Francis Daniel Kammer.
Her room at the sisters of Saint Dominic Motherhouse in Amityville is filled with birthday cards and balloons. A display that shows how much an impact she’s made in the lives of others.
“She’s loyal, she’s faithful, she’s prayerful. She’s human. she’s the best friend you could ever have, thick or thin, she stays by you,” said Sister Francis Daniel Kammer.
Sister Francis Dominici now holds the record as the world’s oldest nun.
“I would say I’d like to. I would like to be the youngest sister in the world, not the oldest,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
During the course of her life, Sister Francis has witnessed 19 US presidents, two World Wars and 11 popes including the recent election of Pope Leo XIV.
“If you’re chosen to be a pope, you must be an intelligent man as well as a good religious,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
Sister Francis nearly missed her chance at religious life after losing part of her arm in an accident. Many communities rejected her.
“The convent is not a place for handicapped people. You have to work when you go to the convent. It’s not a place, it’s not a vacation area,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
But the Sisters of St Dominic opened their doors to her with a simple test.
“It used to be a big laugh with my group that entered at that time, I said, I’m here because I can open a window,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
One of her greatest accomplishments was teaching high school algebra and math for 52 years.
“This is not pride really. Praise God for giving me I was a good teacher and I was a very good teacher to students that needed extra help,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
And she explains the secret to a long life.
“I would say. God doesn’t want me. I don’t know, there’s no secret about it at all. when God wants me, he’ll take me,” said Sister Francis Dominici.
For now Sister Francis is making the most of every day she has.