November 4, 1932 – March 21, 2022

Sister Carla Dolce, OSU, died peacefully March 21, 2022, at Our Lady of Wisdom in New Orleans.

The daughter of John and Nina Puglia Dolce, she was born Nov. 4, 1932, in New Orleans. She entered the Ursuline community on Jan 15, 1954, and professed her vows on July 16, 1956. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the College of New Rochelle and a master’s degree in history from St. Louis University.

Sister Carla ministered for 60 years throughout the Ursulines’ Central Province and beyond, including in Illinois, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. She spent her earliest teaching years in Illinois, where she taught at St. Thomas School in Decatur from 1959-62, St. Aloysius School in Springfield from 1962-64 and 1965-66, and St. Joseph School in Springfield from 1964-65.

She was principal of St. Peter School in Laredo, Texas, from 1966-68 and taught at Ursuline Academy there from 1968-69. She was principal of the elementary grades at Ursuline Academy in New Orleans from 1971-74 and of the secondary grades from 1974-75. She was president of Ursuline Academy in Dallas from 1983-85 and volunteered there from 2004-08. She was president of Marquette High School in Alton, Illinois, from 1990-92 and president of Ursuline Academy in Kirkwood, Missouri, from 1992-93.

Sister Carla served as local leader for many Ursuline communities was a consultant to the diocese of Laredo and the archdiocese of New Orleans. She was director of the National Votive Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in New Orleans from 2013-15, during which time she was instrumental in raising funds for its restoration.

Sister Carla was passionate about justice, especially racial justice. She served in ministries to the poor in New Orleans and in Tunica, Mississippi. She loved being an Ursuline and was always full of creative ideas.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Carl and Nancy Dolce.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in New Orleans, followed by burial in the Ursuline Mausoleum.