Sister Mary Salvadore – 60th Jubilee

Written on: July 14, 2025

Sister Mary Salvadore grew up in Mahanoy City, PA and first met the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart at St. Canicus Elementary School. After graduating from Immaculate Heart Academy, Sister Mary was impacted by the kindness and dedication of the Grey Nuns and felt called to join their mission at a young age. “I wanted to make the world a better place,” she recalls, “and I was very impressed by the Sisters. They inspired me to want to do something good with my life.” She recognized that she could accomplish more as part of a compassionate community like the Grey Nuns. After a short teaching career, she felt called to healthcare and earned a BA in General Studies from Temple University, and a BS in Physical Therapy from New York University.

Her gratifying journey as a physical therapist took her from Bellevue Hospital in NY, to Moss Rehab Hospital and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, and then to St. Lawrence Rehab Center in New Jersey. She was also an instructor of Tai Chi and Qi Gong at the Center for Human Integration of the Medical Mission Sisters. “Physical therapy was the joy of my life and ministry,” she reflects. “My patients had these extreme challenges – diseases, trauma, strokes, and injuries. It was deeply inspiring to watch them turn their lives around and see their resilience.”

In ‘retirement’, Mary’s presence is essential to the Grey Nun community residing at Lafayette Redeemer by assisting sisters in many ways, including solving computer glitches. “Ask Mary Sal, I’m sure she can help” is often heard at Lafayette Redeemer. She also serves on a variety of Grey Nun committees, as an election worker, as a resident council member and ambassador at Lafayette Redeemer, and as a volunteer for the Newcomer Housing Alliance.

Throughout her 60 years as a Grey Nun, she has remained in awe of her fellow Sisters, calling them giants in their fields of education, healthcare, and social work. Sister Mary is content in knowing that she has been part of a collective effort to spread kindness and peace.

This entry was posted in Our 2025 Jubilarians