Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella, a Catholic nun from Long Island, New York, has reached a rare milestone. At 112, she is believed to be the world’s oldest living nun, and she credits her long life to staying committed to a purpose.
Piscatella has been part of the Catholic Church for 94 years. She now lives at the Queen of the Rosary Motherhouse in Amityville, where she recently celebrated her 112th birthday. Members of the local Catholic community gathered to honor her life of devotion.
“Teach until you die,” Piscatella said in a recent interview. “You have to be a saint before you get to heaven.”
Raised on Long Island’s South Shore, Piscatella, the world’s oldest nun, has lived a life shaped by hardship, strength, and service. Her life changed dramatically when she was 2 years old, struck by a speeding train in Central Islip. The accident took her left forearm, but not her will.
112 years young and Sister Francis Dominici Piscatella still looks great. She is now the oldest nun in the world and you can see her story tonight at 7 on @CurrentsNews @TabletNewspaper #oldestnun pic.twitter.com/9yEPjZgJhn
— Katie Vasquez (@KatieVasquezTV) May 16, 2025
Her mother taught her to be self-reliant from the start. “My mother refused to let them assist me because ‘you’re not going to have your sisters forever, so you better just shape up and do things for yourself,’” Piscatella recalled.
That early push for independence would become central to her character. Inspired by the love she saw within her family and their service to others, Piscatella felt called to religious life. But entering a convent in 1931 with a disability was far from easy.
Sister Francis explained that the convent wasn’t meant for people who couldn’t keep up. You had to work hard. According to her, this wasn’t a place to take it easy.
After being rejected by several convents, an opportunity finally came when a nun left her teaching post. The opening gave Piscatella her chance to join the Dominicans and begin her life of service.
From age 17 to 84, she worked in administrative roles and taught various subjects, including math, history, and arithmetic. She became known for teaching from the heart, sharing knowledge with warmth and conviction.
Today, Piscatella continues to find joy in prayer and the company of the Long Island Catholic community. Her words, shaped by experience and humility, offer a message that has guided her through more than a century: a life lived with purpose can go a long way.
