Religious sister who fostered children with special needs receives honor

Sister Michele Bisbey of the Marie de la Roche Province of the Sisters of Divine Providence in McCandless, Pennsylvania, was one of 10 women recognized as the newest Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania last month by Gov. Josh Shapiro and First Lady Lori Shapiro.

The Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania is an organization established in 1949 to recognize women for their distinguished service, professional achievements, and voluntary contributions to Pennsylvania and the nation.

Bisbey entered religious life in 1967 and in 1987 began teaching in higher education. In 1992 she became a professor of religious studies at La Roche University.

In the 1990s, she and another religious sister from her congregation — Sister Elana Almendarez — decided to start fostering children in response to a high need for foster parents. At the time, they had a large home that they lived in for over a decade on the campus of La Roche University and decided to use this space to care for one to three children at a time.

The sisters have fostered 28 children since 1992.

Over the years, the sisters fostered children with special needs and complex medical conditions. They are currently…