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Sister Joan Smith, OP

We recently caught up with Dominican Sister Joan Smith, pictured as a postulant above (far left), about her vocation. Read the interview below. What attracted you to become a Sister? I was taught by Blauvelt Dominican Sisters from first grade on, and I loved them. They were so down-to-earth and relatable. The Sisters would invite…

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A Christmas Prayer

Gracious and Loving God, you alone are my source of peace. I praise you for the gift of your son, Jesus, who brings light and hope to my days. May your Holy Spirit inspire me to be a sign of kindness and understanding in a world full of strife. Help me to always live in…

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A Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Give thanks to God for creation’s bounty for the beauty of earth and sky. Give thanks to God for family and friends and those who walk with us through the challenges and blessings of daily life. Give thanks to God whose generous mercy helps us be people of compassion. Give thanks to God whose love…

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SOAR!

Sister Margarita Gallardo, SJS

Sister Margarita was born in San Juan de los Lagos Jalisco, Mexico in 1948 into a loving family with 12 brothers and sisters. Sister Margarita entered the convent at the age of 16, and she remembers the exact moment she felt that call to become a Sister. She remembers jokingly sneaking into the convent as…

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SOAR!

Brother Patrick Varilla, CFC

After graduating from DePaul University in Chicago, Patrick Varilla taught in an inner city school. He knew he was called to be more than just a teacher. When he met the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers, he was drawn by their esprit de corps and the joy in their commitment to service. Brother Patrick entered the…

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Sister Clare Chabot, OSF

Frances Chabot was born in Pass-A-Grill, Florida. As a child, Frances came to know and love the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters in Central Falls, Rhode Island where they were her elementary school teachers at St. Joseph School. She spent countless fun-filled afternoons helping the Sisters clean the church and was delighted on days she could also…

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SOAR!

Sister Marie Frechette, MSBT

At SOAR!, we recently enjoyed meeting with Sister Marie Frechette, a member of the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity in Philadelphia, on a ZOOM call. We talked about her vocation, ministry and the work she presently does for her community. Throughout her life, Sister Marie has always been a woman of service to…

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Sister Rita Petrarca, ASCJ

Sister Rita Petrarca, a member of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Hamden, Connecticut, shared the story of her life in ministry with SOAR!. The Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus have always been a part of my life.  They were my teachers in both elementary and secondary school, and their…

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Sister Jeanette Zielinski, OSF

Recently, SOAR! met with Sister Jeanette Zielinski, a Sister of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio to talk about her vocation. Sister Jeanette Zielinski was born in 1935.  She felt the call to become a Sister at an early age. “The Sisters were full of such joy and happiness. They were always kind to each other…

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An Interview with Sister Canisius Hansberry, OSP

Born in Washington, DC in 1937, Sister Canisius Hansberry first met the Oblate sisters of Providence when she was in school. While she was at a camp at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, the Sisters encouraged her to consider becoming a Sister and she entered the order in 1956. Sister took some time away around…

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