Sisters Carol Ann Papp and JoAnn Knaebel share a football fun day on September 13, 2026.
Sister Maria’s lifelong love of the Philadelphia Eagles is no mystery to her students at St. Matthias School in Somerset, N.J. In fact, during Catholic Schools Week in 2025, several kids turned up in Eagles gear on “Dress Like a Teacher Day.”
Sister Jeanne Marie Ulica whoops it up for the Pittsburgh Steelers during a pep rally on September 10, 2026.
Gameday Grace
OUR SISTERS PRACTICE PEACE & ALL GOOD … EVEN ON NFL SUNDAYS
October 26, 2026
Sunday mornings are definitely for the Lord. But Sunday afternoons during football season ... well, that’s a different story! Our Sisters on both sides of Pennsylvania are avid fans of their local NFL franchises but, in the spirit of St. Francis, still make peace with their fellow Sisters who root for opposing teams.
Such was the case when Sister Carol Ann Papp — a native of Bethlehem and a Philadelphia Eagles fan who currently serves in Pittsburgh — invited Steelers superfan Sister JoAnn Knaebel over to watch football on NFL Opening Sunday, September 13. “Now this is a sign of crossing barriers,” Sister Carol Ann teases.
Ahead of the season kickoff, Sister Jeanne Marie Ulica was among those who got a little rowdy during the second annual Steelers Spirit Pep Rally at Mt. Assisi Place in Pittsburgh on September 10. She twirled her trademark Terrible Towel like it was the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium, while Sister JoAnn fired off answers to trivia questions like she was running a two-minute touchdown drive, and Sister Nancy Celaschi told mascot Steely McBeam about a Steelers-themed pub in Rome.
Over in Somerset, N.J., Sister Maria Derecola lives and works among fans of the New York Giants and Jets, but she’s never shy about her lifelong love of the Eagles. Nor are Sister Francine Garganta and the other Sisters at Monocacy Manor in Bethlehem, where the TVs are tuned to Eagles games on Sundays. At San Damiano Convent in Pittsburgh, a well-worn Steelers banner adorns the porch, and the games are must-see TV.
Although our Sisters sometimes wear rival colors, they share a common love of the game. Luckily, both the Eagles and Steelers won their Week 1 games, and both teams entered Week 4 with 2-1 records. Stay tuned because things are sure to get interesting when the Eagles and Steelers face off on Sunday, November 22, 2026. As a hopeful Sister Carol Ann ponders, “Could one of our teams reach the Super Bowl? Only time will tell.”