Joy has always been at the root of religious life for Sr. Paula Cosko — so it’s fitting that smiles marked the start of her journey. Born in Los Angeles, she first met the Sisters of Providence as a student at St. Finbar Parish School in nearby Burbank.
There were other communities of women religious active there at the time, but “the Sisters of Providence were the only ones smiling,” according to Sr. Paula.
Her initial call came early. Her first-grade teacher at St. Finbar was a religious Sister, and Sr. Paula was enamored. She officially entered the community at age 18 in 1965 and promptly went from being an only child to living with 90 candidates and novices in Issaquah, Washington.
Cultural diversity has been both a blessing and a major theme of Sr. Paula’s devotion ever since. She spent the summer of 1969 ministering in religious education above the Arctic Circle in tiny Kotzebue, Alaska. Soon after, she returned to The Last Frontier — this time for three years in Nome, teaching religious education to Indigenous Alaskans.
“They taught me: ‘Enjoy what you have and don’t lament what you don’t have.’”
A passionate flame for education had been lit. Upon returning to Seattle, Sr. Paula earned her bachelor’s degree from Seattle University, and was quickly back in the classroom. Fourteen of the next 18 years were spent in ministry as an elementary teacher at St. Therese School, within Seattle’s Central District. In those years, it was known and celebrated for being one of the most diverse communities in the United States.
In Sr. Paula’s 20th year as a Sister of Providence, the opportunity arose to accompany a medical team to Haiti. She studied French and Creole in preparation, serving as a cook for the medical team.
“One evening, as I stood in the kitchen door and the sun was setting, I had this extreme feeling that I was in the kingdom. This was the kingdom.”
After more than two decades teaching children, Sr. Paula began a new chapter in education in the 90s: ministering to adults learning English as a second language. She’s excellent at her current ministry — with 35 years and counting on the faculty at North Seattle College.
With every new quarter of instruction, Sr. Paula has a class of 25-30 students, typically hailing from at least 17 different countries.
“I’ve met students from almost every country, island, or landmass in the world.”
Sr. Paula has also served on the Providence Associates Advisory Board and is the current Local Leader of the Sophia Community.
Her wealth of hobbies and interests include cooking (only from scratch) and tending to her vivid garden — a space of refuge for local wildlife that enjoys it as much as she does. The Pacific Northwest has been a great fit for Sr. Paula, who loves spending time immersed in nature.
From her early days as a student herself, to the lives of the many students she continues to touch as a beloved teacher, Sr. Paula is forever thankful for God’s call to the Sisters of Providence.
“It’s a real call. I’ve never doubted the call.”