East Williston nun turns 110, oldest in nation

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Sister Francis Piscatella, an East Williston resident and member of the Sisters of St. Dominic in Amityville, turned 110 years old April 20 to become the oldest nun in America.

She succeeded Vincent de Paul Hutton of Kentucky, who died in December at 111 years old, according to the Dominican Sister of Peace.

from $52,933 to $62,135.

Village expenses for the fire district are also increasing by a total of $11,050. This is a 19.4% increase from the previous year’s expenses of $56,950 to the newly adopted budget’s $68,000.

Lobaccaro said during the meeting that exceeding the tax cap due to the expenses for Roslyn Fire services was out of their control.

All village expenses are staying the same or increasing, excluding records management and contractual central data processing which are decreasing in budgeted expenses.

Revenues increasing in 2023-2024 include utilities gross receipts by 8.1%, sales tax by 2.2%, building permits by 2.9%, fines and penalties by 25% and mortgage tax by 12%.

Expense increases in the budget include, but are not limited to, a 2.7% increase for personal expenses for the board of trustees, a 3% increase in village justice-personal, an 11.1% increase for the village auditor, a 3.9% increase for administrator-personal and a 4% increase for clerk-personal.

The largest expense for the village is its health insurance of $600,000, followed by its contingent account contractual expenses of $180,000.

“I’d like to be the youngest,” Piscatella told the media during a special mass at St. Albert Chapel at Queen of Rosary Motherhouse in Amityville, according to ABC7, “But the years are there so I’ll have to accept them.”

Born in Central Islip on April 20, 1913, Piscatella has survived both world wars, the Great Depression, and now two worldwide health pandemics: Spanish flu and COVID-19.

Sister Piscatella’s life has not lacked adversity, starting with her left forearm being amputated when she was just 2 years old after a train accident, according to Newsday.

Piscatella joined the Dominicans in 1931 after being turned away from several other religious communities due to her disability. As a young nun, Piscatella earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education at St. John’s University before becoming a grade school math teacher in Brooklyn.

Piscatella taught in many local elementary schools and was in the classroom at the Dominican Commercial High School in Queens for 17 years, according to the religious institution. She also spent 52 years teaching at Molloy College and worked at its Financial Aid Office before retiring at the age of 84.Piscatella, who moves around with the help of a wheelchair, walker or cane, goes to Mass daily and prays for 35 minutes before breakfast, according to Newsday.“As our religious congregation celebrates its 170th anniversary, it is remarkable to note that Sister Francis has served as a sister for more than half of our history,” said Peggy McVetty, prioress of the Sis-

Sister Francis Piscatella, of East Williston, celebrating her 108th birthday on April 20, 2021.

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