Sister Juliana Barilla, OP,

Barilla, OP, Sister Juliana of Grand Rapids (born in Grayson, Saskatchewan, Canada) died July 9, 2017. She was 106 years old and a Dominican Sister for 82 years. Sister Juliana received a Bachelor’s degree from Aquinas College and a Master’s degree in Religious Education from Aquinas Institute of Religious Studies at Aquinas College. Sister Juliana was a gifted, practical person who always had time for others and their concerns. She served dual roles in administration and teaching for 21 of her 35 years in the classroom. Her assignments included: SS. Peter & Paul, Saginaw; St. Alphonsus, Grand Rapids; St. Mary, New Salem; Santa Cruz, New Mexico; St. Joseph, Bay City; St. Joseph, East Tawas; St. John, Essexville; and Holy Trinity, Alpine. In addition to her classroom teaching, she taught and/or supervised CCD classes for almost fifty years. She was much loved by her pupils, their parents and the faculty wherever she served. Sister Juliana long dreamed of being a missionary, and in her 84th year she and her sister, Sister Elizabeth, responded to the call to go to Hungary to help those who had been persecuted for their faith during the Communist regime. Both were fluent in the Hungarian language which was spoken in their family home. For three years Sisters Juliana and Elizabeth taught seminarians and others at St. Athanasius Theological Institute and they spent another year teaching the novices of the Sisters of St. Basil there about the development of the Church since Vatican Council I. At the end of this tenure the superior wrote: “Your calm and prayerful presence, your ability to speak with confidence of the Good Lord with your sparkling eyes, your very good sense of humor gave support and consolation to our Sisters at a difficult time. We shall be ever grateful for this.” She always retained her great love for Canada and would sing the national anthem “O Canada” in her beautiful voice whenever asked. Sister Juliana is survived by her sisters, Sister Elizabeth Barilla, OP, Grand Rapids and Margaret (Stan) Petracek, Esterhazy, Saskatchewan; and her sister-in-law Rosemarie Barilla, Regina, Saskatchewan; nieces and nephews, many friends and members of her Dominican community. Sister Juliana will repose at Dominican Chapel/Marywood, 2025 Fulton Street East, with visitation on Tuesday, July 11, 2017 starting at 4:00 pm, followed by a Remembering Service at 7:00 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 11:00 am at Dominican Chapel/Marywood. Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery. Memorials in Sister Juliana Barilla’s name may be made to the Grand Rapids Dominican Sisters Health Care Fund. Arsulowicz

Tributes

Sister Juliana Barilla, OP,

June 21, 1917 - July 10, 2017