Cecile Kucera, OSB
July 7, 1904 – Sept. 15, 1993
Sister Cecile Kucera, OSB, lived a life steeped in faith, music, and service. Born Emila Petronilla Kucera on July 7, 1904, in Montgomery, Minnesota, she was the eighth of nine children of John and Mary (Skluzacek) Kucera, a family proud of its Czech heritage. Her early life was shaped by the inspiring faith of her family, including two brothers, Louis and Stephen, who became priests, and two sisters, Cecilia and Hata (Agatha), who entered religious life at Saint Benedict’s Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota.
Emilia began her Benedictine journey at Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, in December 1929. Despite the challenges of contracting typhoid fever as a postulant, spending several weeks in the hospital, and returning home to recuperate, she returned to complete her formation, making her first vows in 1931 and receiving the religious name Sister Herman, and made her final vows in 1934. Following the death of her sister, Sister Cecile, in 1925, she received her sister’s profession ring and later chose to honor her legacy by taking her name.
In 1944, Sister Cecile answered the call to help establish a new monastic community in the Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota. She became one of the founding members of the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Priory, now Annunciation Monastery. For over six decades, Sister Cecile shared her love of music as a teacher and church organist, serving in Minnesota and North Dakota at Saint Joseph’s School in Mandan, and in Bismarck at Saint Mary’s Grade School, Cathedral Grade School, and the University of Mary.
Sister Cecile’s legacy is profoundly intertwined with the liturgical life of Annunciation Monastery. A perfectionist with perfect pitch, she directed the monastery choir, taught Gregorian chant for 17 years, and composed antiphons for the Liturgy of the Hours. Her dedication to chant was more than a vocation—it was her deepest expression of life in Christ. Through chant, she helped others encounter the beauty of Scripture and the mystery of faith. Her gentle reverence reminded all who heard her music that liturgical song was not just an art but a sacred support for the faithful in their journey with God.
Health challenges in her later years brought her to Garrison Memorial Hospital in Garrison, North Dakota. There, on the morning of September 15, 1993, Sister Cecile passed into eternal life at the age of 89.
Her memory endures in the hearts of all who were touched by her music, teaching, and faithful witness. Sister Cecile Kucera, OSB, left behind a rich heritage of liturgical music that continues to resonate in the life of the Benedictine Sisters and the communities she served. May she now join in the eternal hymn of praise, in perfect harmony with the choirs of heaven.
Tribute prepared by Annunciation Monastery, Bismarck.