Sr. Martin Michaela Pauline Rodko, M.S.M.G., 81, was a Missionary Sister of Mother of God (711 N Franklin St. Philadelphia, PA 19123) for 61 years. She died peacefully at Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia, PA on Friday, March 10, 2023, of congestive heart failure.
Born on November 10, 1941, at Wilkes Barre, PA, the eldest daughter of the late Michael and Loretta Stanziale Rodko. Sister grew up in the Korn Krest section of Hanover Township. Her mother died when she was 4 years old, so she was raised by her father and his wife of a second marriage, the late Mildred Kajkowski Rodko. The family was a member of the Holy Transfiguration Ukrainian Catholic Church in Nanticoke, PA.
Ever since her First Holy Communion, Sr. Martin dreamed of one day being “a Bride of Christ.” She was further inspired by the good example of the religious sisters she met in her early school years. During her freshman year at public high school, Sister was hospitalized with a serious lung condition. She attributed her survival to the intercession of Blessed Martin de Porres. Sister entered the MSMG convent at Stamford, CT on August 19, 1961, at age 20. She was clothed in the habit of the Congregation and given her new religious name, Sr. Martin, on April 23, 1962; the same year St. Martin de Porres was canonized. Sr. Martin professed her Final Vows on January 1, 1970.
She studied at Fordham University in preparation for her future teaching career. In 1965, her first assignment was to Assumption Catholic School at Perth Amboy, NJ, where she lovingly taught the primary grades for the next 25 years. In 1991, she returned to the convent at Stamford, CT. where she worked in the library, assisted at the Nursery school, and helped in the kitchen. Her specialty was baked goods, and she will be ever remembered for her delicious cakes and fluffy horn rolls.
In 2012, Sister Martin moved to our Mother House in Philadelphia. Here she continued serving the community by caring for an aged sister, performing domestic tasks, volunteering at the Cathedral pierogi project, and teaching catechism classes at St. Michael’s in Cherry, NJ. In her free time, she enjoyed spiritual reading, needlework, and making arts & crafts projects. Due to illness in 2018, she became a resident at Immaculate Mary Rehabilitation Center, where Sister found new ways to exercise her ministry. Endowed with a friendly personality, she endeared herself to the staff and her fellow residents, with whom she lived, prayed, and socialized. During her final years, Sr. Martin kept occupied making rosaries, distributing holy cards, going to daily Mass, and praying for everyone’s special intentions. She offered up her painful ailments for the salvation of souls and for holy vocations.
She is survived by her sisters, Johanna (Robert) Longenberger; Priscilla (Earl) Reader; Stephanie (Michael) Murry; and her brother, Michael (Julie) Rodko. She was preceded in death by her sister, Bernadette Rodko. In lieu of flowers, prayers and Divine Liturgies for the repose of the soul of Sr. Martin Rodko, MSMG are most appreciated.
