Sister Mary Andre Drottar

october 14, 1912 - april 20, 1999

The route by which Sister Mary Andre came to be what God intended for her to be was a puzzle to her, as she reflected on her life some weeks before her death. Her words “How do you really know what is God’s will?” revealed her searching disposition on her faith journey. On the morning of April 20, 1999, God came for Sister, took her to Himself and freed her from all her fears.

Sister Mary Andre was born in Madison, Maine, to Andrew Drottar and Mary Devault Drottar on October 14, 1912. She was baptized at St. Sebastian Church five days later, October 19, 1912, and given the name Margaret. Confirmed in this same church on November 7, 1925, she received the name Cecelia. Margaret attended the local public schools from grade one through her junior year in high school, enjoying and excelling in various sports during these school years. Parish CCD classes, a family atmosphere of true faith and spiritual devotion, and the daily recitation of the Rosary in the home nourished her faith and her soul during these early years.

In her senior year, Margaret decided she would like to attend the boarding school at Mount Assisi Academy in Pittsburgh, Pa., where she enrolled in September 1929.  Never having seen “Sisters,” before she became intrigued by what she observed and decided to enter the postulancy in January 1930. On August 3 of the same year, she was received into the novitiate and given the name Sister Carmella. That was the name most familiar to her students and fellow Sisters until 1970, when she chose the name Sister Mary Andre in honor of her parents.

Sister Carmella pronounced her first vows on August 4, 1931, and her Final Vows on August 4, 1936. During this period, she was prepared for the ministry through studies in business education Mount Mercy College (now Carlow University) Pittsburgh and Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa., where she resided and attended classes as a day student. After her graduation in 1936, Sister Carmella was assigned to teach commercial subjects at Mount Assisi Academy, where she remained from 1936 until 1944. In 1966, she received a master’s degree in school administration from Seton Hall University in New Jersey.

Sister Carmella suffered physical setbacks twice from tuberculosis — once in 1942 and again in 1964. In spite of this, Sister was active in ministry, teaching in parish CCD programs or in parish schools in Webster, Mass.; Tarentum, Pa.; Perryopolis, Pa.; Stowe, Pa.; Clifton, N.J.; and SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish in Bethlehem, Pa. She served as principal of the parish school and as local superior in these convents.

On August 15, 1960, Sister Carmella was appointed provincial superior of the Bethlehem Province, a position she held until 1970. During those 10 years, she was also prefect of postulants and served as a delegate to the General Chapter of Elections in 1969 and 1970. These were difficult years for leadership because of the many changes taking place in the Church and in religious life.

After her term of office as Provincial, Sister Mary Andre taught English at St. Theresa School in Hellertown, Pa., from 1970 until 1972. She was then assigned to St. Ignatius School in West Lawn, Pa., to teach fifth grade. She remained there until 1982 when she transferred to SS. Cyril and Methodius School in Clifton, N.J., where she served as a teacher’s aide.  Sister Mary Andre wanted to help wherever she was able and she went back to St. Theresa School in 1985, where she helped in the office and did small group tutoring until September 1997, when she retired to SS. Cyril and Methodius Convent in Bethlehem, Pa.

During her entire life, Sister Mary Andre endured poor health and, in 1999, was diagnosed with lymphoma. She was undergoing chemotherapy and doing very well when, suddenly, God took her to Himself on April 20, 1999.

Special memories of Sister that were shared by her fellow Sisters following her death testify to the fact that she was a soul filled with gratitude for life, for her vocation and for her religious community. She was always eager to know how the Sisters were doing in their various ministries and missions and never hesitated to inquire about the welfare of another. She was generous in affirming others and had learned to trust God and to live only for the moment.

Sister Mary Andre always had a smile on her face until that final moment when she met her God face-to-face and He led her into eternal glory.

Sister Mary Andre is buried in St. Francis Cemetery at Monocacy Manor in Bethlehem, Pa.