Sister Turns 100 on Easter Sunday After a Lifetime of Nursing and Community Care
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
When asked what advice she would offer others, Sister Ruth paused before answering, “Love your brothers and sisters. That’s all you need to do. Just love them.”
Aston, Pennsylvania — April 2, 2026 — Sister Mary Ruth Thomas, OSF (formerly known as Sr. John Stephen), will celebrate her 100th birthday on Easter Sunday, a milestone she greets with both humility and joy. “I still can’t believe that I’m turning 100,” she says. “I have no idea how I got to this age, but I have loved life!”
Born and raised in Cullman County in northern Alabama, Sister Ruth developed an early love for the land while growing up on her grandparents’ farm. That connection to Creation remained with her throughout her life, expressed in her love of gardening, farming, painting, and time spent outdoors—especially feeding birds and watching deer and foxes. She describes herself as a “free spirit,” always listening for and open to God’s plan.
A nurse, educator, and healthcare leader, Sister Ruth spent the majority of her nursing ministry in Pennsylvania and Maryland, serving both at the bedside and in the classroom, forming generations of nurses. She served on the nursing faculties of four hospitals, including as Director of the School of Nursing at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Reading.
In Philadelphia, she taught student nurses at St. Agnes Hospital for many years. Years later, she returned to St. Agnes to helped lead the Medi-Call Mobile Outreach Health Education Screening Program in the 1970s—an innovative initiative that operated out of a traveling van to provide free preventative healthcare services.
St. Agnes Hospital’s mobile Neighborhood Medi-Call Unit served communities across Philadelphia in the 1970s, providing free medical screenings including vision and hearing tests, urinalysis, blood testing, pulse, and blood pressure checks. The program was led by Dr. Joseph M. Gambescia (left), Chairman of the Department of Medicine, and coordinated by Sister Mary Ruth Thomas.
Offered at the request of community leaders and local organizations, Medi-Call delivered essential screenings—including vision and hearing tests, blood pressure checks, urinalysis, and blood testing—along with additional life-saving tests to help detect illnesses such as cancer in their earliest stages, often before symptoms appeared. Funded in part by the Cardinal Krol Community Health Center, Medi-Call reflected a forward-thinking approach to healthcare—meeting people where they were and prioritizing prevention, dignity, and access.
Her time in Philadelphia left a lasting impression. “I became an honorary South Philly Italian,” she said with a smile, recalling the friendships she formed and the many meals shared with neighbors and families.
“I loved taking care of people,” Sister Ruth said. “My years of nursing were a gift to me.”
Now residing in Aston, Pennsylvania, Sister Ruth continues to live a life grounded in prayer and reflection. She describes her greatest joy as “being in the presence of the Lord,” spending time reading scripture and deepening her relationship with God.
When asked what she is most grateful for, her answer is simple: “That God created me.”
Her advice to others reflects the heart of her Franciscan faith: “Love your brothers and sisters. That’s all you need to do. Just love them.”
As she celebrates this milestone birthday on Easter Sunday—a day that proclaims new life and hope—Sister Mary Ruth Thomas offers a powerful witness to a life well lived in service, humility, and love.
About The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia:
The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia is a community of more than 250 Catholic women religious committed to living the Gospel in the prophetic spirit of St. Francis of Assisi and their foundress, Mother Francis Bachmann. For more than 170 years, and with a legacy of over 4,000 sisters, the congregation has ministered to those in need across the United States and around the world, ultimately serving on four continents. Today, the sisters serve in 11 states, Ireland, and Kenya, engaging in a wide range of ministries including healthcare, education, pastoral service, social services, spiritual ministries, and advocacy for justice. Rooted in a Franciscan way of life, they are committed to contemplation, poverty, and humility. They embrace a deep reverence for creation and strive always to be a healing, compassionate presence in a wounded world—especially among women, children, and those who have no voice.
Media Contact:
Geneen Pintof
gpintof@osfphila.org
(610) 558-7726
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