Sister Theresa Bonanza, IHM, (formerly known as Sister M. Vincent de Paul) of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Saturday, December 28, 2019, at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton. She was born on January 15, 1934, in Oyster Bay, NY, and given the name Christina Theresa. She was the daughter of the late Anthony and Christina Madden Bonanza. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 7, 1952, and made her temporary profession of vows on August 3, 1955, and her final profession of vows on August 3, 1958.
Sister Theresa served as a teacher at the following schools: Holy Angels Elementary School, Hayes, PA, from 1955 to 1956; St. Mary Elementary School, Upper Marlboro, MD, from 1956 to 1958; Mother of Mercy Elementary School, Washington, NC, from 1958 to 1964; Sacred Heart of Mary Elementary School, Jermyn, PA, from 1964 to 1966; St. Rose Elementary School, Carbondale, PA, from 1966 to 1971; St. Mary Elementary School, Hollidaysburg, PA, from 1971 to 1972; St. Raymond Elementary School, East Rockaway, NY, from 1972 to 1975; St. John Parish House of Prayer, Susquehanna, PA, from 1975 to 1976; St. Patrick Elementary School, Scranton, PA, from 1979 to 1981; St. Peter of Alcantara Elementary School, Port Washington, NY, from 2000 to 2005; and St. Mary Elementary School, Goldsboro, NC, from 2005 to 2008. She served as a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine teacher at St. Peter Parish, Wellsboro, PA, from 1976 to 1978; and St. Patrick Parish, Milford, PA, from 1978 to 1979. Sister also served as a parish minister at Our Lady of the Lake Parish, Verona, NJ, from 1981 to 1984; minister to sick and elderly at St. John the Evangelist Parish, Silver Spring, MD, from 1984 to 2000; instructor at the Educational Enrichment Institute at the IHM Center, Scranton, PA, from 2008 to 2015; and also receptionist at the IHM Center from 2008 to 2015.
From 2015 until the time of her death, Sister Theresa served as a prayer minister at Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Marywood College.
She is preceded in death by eight brothers, Brother Alfred, OSF, Michael, Anthony, James, John, Richard, George (infant), and George Francis; and three sisters, Mildred, Veronica, and Mary Duchnowski. She is survived by nieces and nephews and by the members of the IHM Congregation. The funeral will be Friday, January 3, at 11:00 a.m. with Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of Peace Residence, 2300 Adams Avenue in Scranton, PA. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Residence on Thursday, January 2, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Interment will follow Mass on Friday at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA. Memorial contributions may be made to support the retired IHM Sisters c/o the IHM Sisters Retirement Fund, IHM Center, 2300 Adams Avenue, Scranton, PA 18509.
