Sister Julia (Lorenzo) Acosta, BVM
Sister Julia Acosta, BVM, 99, (Lorenzo) died Monday, July 21, 2025, at Mount Carmel Bluffs in Dubuque, Iowa.
Visitation, the Sharing of Memories and Mass of Christian Burial were on Friday, July 25, 2025. Burial was in the Mount Carmel cemetery.
Sister Julia was born on Aug. 13, 1925, in Valley Junction, Iowa, to Lawrence and Henrietta (Horcasitas) Acosta. She entered the BVM congregation Sept. 8, 1943, from St. Agatha Parish, Chicago. She professed first vows on March 19, 1946, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1951.
Sister Julia taught secondary Spanish at St. Patrick in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Fr. Bertrand in Memphis, Tenn.; Carmel HS in Mundelein, Ill.; and Cathedral HS and St. Benedict in Chicago. She ministered as an elementary teacher at St. Patrick in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, St. Joseph in New Hampton, Iowa; St. Joseph in Rock Island, Ill.; Holy Name and St. Thomas of Canterberry in Chicago; Mary Queen of Heaven in Cicero, Ill.; St. Rose in Wilmington, Ill.
“Julia was always friendly, supportive and helpful to the students, administrators, and co-workers. She truly was loved by her students. . . [She] will always be remembered as a sweet, loving, and gracious woman. She had a beautiful smile and a good sense of humor.” (Eulogy, Mary Frances Clarke Chapel, July 25, 2025).
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Lawrence, Arthur (Olga), and William (Frances) Acosta; and sister-in-law Maxine Acosta. She is survived by a brother Henry Acosta; nieces; nephews; and the Sisters of Charity, BVM, with whom she shared life for 81 years.
Watch Memorial Mass and Sharing of Memories Download Eulogy Download Sharing of Memories
Julia was one of the loveliest people I have ever known. She was warm, affectionate and caring!
I am grateful that she was a part of my life!
Rest in peace Sister Julia. I never had you as a teacher at Cathedral but we would always have a good conversation at the convent when I would work.
My Aunt Julia was a warm, witty and loving person. I will miss her a great deal. Rest in peace Aunt Julia💕
Sr. Acosta was a Spanish teacher at Cathedral High School, but I know in the mid 1990’s she would be with Sr. Lorraine Baller the Trigonometry teacher. I attended a lecture of Cardinal Francis in the auditorium and there was St. Acosta with St. Lorraine Baller. The latter had a cerebral vascular accident (stroke) but still wanted to walk and Sr. Acosta was her medical assistant. The nuns at Holy Name Cathedral were multifaceted. God bless them all. They were excellent teachers and nurses to each other in the motherhouse.