Louann Sciubba (1939-2026)

Sister Louann Sciubba, SNDdeN went peacefully home to her good God on Saturday, August 29, 2026. A Mass of the Resurrection was held Sept. 4, 2026, in Ipswich, Mass. Burial will be at Ilchester, Maryland, on Sept. 10, 2026.

She was born in Philadelphia to Edward Sciubba of New York and Anna (Kobelnic) Sciubba of Philadelphia. After a year spent studying at Villanova University and teaching at St. Bernadette’s, Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, she entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur on August 10, 1958, making her First Vows in 1961 and Perpetual Vows in 1966.

Sister Louann completed a bachelor’s degree in education at Trinity College in Washington, D.C. She earned a master’s in religious studies from LaSalle College in Philadelphia, and years later, another master’s in pastoral counseling from Loyola College in Maryland.

After teaching in Baltimore and Great Mills, Maryland, Sister Louann Sciubba became one of the first Sisters in the Maryland Province appointed director of religious education. She served in that capacity at St. Thomas More in Decatur, Georgia; Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Ridgewood, New York; St. Isaac Jogues Parish and St. Thomas More Parish, both in Baltimore; and Our Lady of Perpetual Health Parish in Woodlawn, Maryland.

In 1981, Sister Louann began a long and productive tenure as pastoral associate at St. Louis Parish in Clarksville, Maryland, which lasted 13 years. She left in 1998 to serve as a member of the Chesapeake Province leadership team. After her term ended, she spent the next nine years working in Baltimore as a pastoral counselor at St. Francis Academy and at the Suburban Pastoral Counseling Center.

As Sister Louann entered her retirement years, she found more time for spiritual reading, contemplative prayer, cooking, gardening and landscape painting. Her community in Ipswich benefited from her deep sharing and generative, life-giving spirit. Her lifelong friend and dear companion, Sister Joyce McCauley, SNDdeN lovingly accompanied her throughout her life’s journey.

In 2018, on the occasion of her 60th Jubilee as a Sister, she wrote:

“When St. Therese of Lisieux read … ‘in the book of life I will teach you the science of love,’ she felt that the Lord’s words were for her. I am having similar thoughts at this Jubilee time. I am remembering with gratitude the persons and experiences that led me to become a Sister. Good memories flow from ministry days—teaching junior high, parish religious education work, and pastoral counseling studies and practice.

“In the current chapter of my life, I am most grateful for my life in community with Sisters Rose and Joyce and our caring for one another—experiencing the science of love in 3D, you could say! I’ve enjoyed personal time to read, connect with friends from past ministries, take art classes and display paintings. I’ve developed my culinary skills and my community has been very pleased with the results.

“The Internet has expanded our ability to participate in, support and celebrate our SNDdeN lives and works across the U.S. and internationally. This provides an amazing vision. Our two foundresses could never have imagined religious life as it is today. In 1958, I couldn’t have either. But here we are, about 100 Jubilarians worldwide celebrating the Spirit of the Lord making all things new in us and among us.”

Updated in 2026