Sisters' Stories

La Isla del Encanto: When SSNDs Came to Puerto Rico

When eleven School Sisters of Notre Dame from three provinces in the United States disembarked from the steamer Brazos in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 6:30 p.m. on September 1, 1915, “a heartier welcome than [they] received could scarcely be imagined.”

Sister Patricia Ferrick: From Brooklyn to the border

“I believe that my greatest contribution to the people with whom and for whom I ministered was assuring them that they were loved by God and by me as they are, to try to see the good and the potential in each person, and to encourage them to use their God-given gifts and talents for their own happiness and that of others.”

Sister Miriam Patrick Cummings: A Lifetime of Service in Chicago

Sister Miriam Patrick Cummings says age is not a factor in ministry. She lives that mantra each day as the Executive Director of Corazón a Corazón in Blue Island, Illinois.

"Guardian Angel" Sister Rose Marie Lusco

I was very close to Sister Rose starting from 1976 thru the 80s, 90s and early part of the 2000s (four decades).

Memories of SSNDs at Madonna/Our Lady of Fatima, Ft. Lee, NJ, 1944 – 1953

I am ever grateful for the education, example, and friendship of so many School Sisters of Notre Dame. Sister Florentine (Madeline Mary) Linehan was principal when our class hosted a graduation party for the 1952 eighth grade. She led the conga line and the bunny hop!

It’s all about commitment - SSND Associate Lisa Benson

When I was invited by SSND Associate Mary Anne O’Donnell to share a personal reflection at the associate covenant ceremony in Baltimore this June, I wanted to say, “Nope – not me…” But something happened when I opened my mouth to respond to the invitation.

Celebrating Sister Jubilarians Jeanne McGue and Margaret Ann Curtin

The dining room at Resurrection Life Center in Chicago was brimming with conversation and laughter when more than 35 sisters, SSND associates, family, and friends gathered to honor Sisters Jeanne McGue - celebrating 75 years of ministry and Margaret Ann Curtin, marking 70 years since professing her first vows as a School Sister of Notre Dame.

Big Time Trust and Dare - Kathleen Feeley, SSND

The first high school in SSND American history, Institute of Notre Dame, founded in 1847 by Mother Theresa, was land-locked in the city of Baltimore.

Initial Call of School Sisters of Notre Dame to Sudan

On July 6, 1858, Mother Theresa wrote to the Royal Government of Upper Bavaria, “Approximately three years ago, some African children were brought to Bavaria in order to teach them Christianity, win them for the reign of God, and save their souls.

Bringing the SSND Mission to the Dominican Republic

Early in December 1981, the regional council – Sisters Rosemarie, Bernardine, and Dorothy Mary – met with all the sisters in Puerto Rico to discern the question of whether God was calling the region to a mission outreach in the Dominican Republic.

Love Gives Everything - "Be Jubilee!" - Sister Charmaine Krohe, Provincial Leader

Sisters, sound the loud trumpet! We have before us 3,175 cumulative years of service to God! Sister jubilarians’ years of profession range from 1933 to 1968. What a witness to commitment and fidelity!

Sister Caroleen Baummer Remembered

Sister Caroleen’s gift of music will continue to resound in the hearts of all who knew her. Family, friends, students and colleagues were all touched by her gift.

A Musical Friendship By Mary Jane (Buchek) Boyle

I was given organ lessons in seventh grade by Sister Mary Alvin, now Arline Jaeger, at Saints Peter and Paul School in Gary, Indiana in 1950.

Remembrance of Sister Mary Theresine Staab (1906-1997)

Her diminutive physical stature belied a powerful stoic presence. Sister Mary Theresine Staab was gifted with a perception of what was best in every student with whom she came in contact, and she demanded no less than each individual’s full potential.

The Northwest Territory and Western Canada By Josephann Wagoner, SSND

Thank you to Sister Josephann Wagoner, SSND, for sharing with us the story of her visit to Western Canada and the Northwest Territory in 2013, while a member of the Provincial Council. She offers a detailed narrative of her three-week tour of Canada.

The Origins of the SSNDs in Canada

The School Sisters of Notre Dame have been in Canada since 1871. They were first called to the country from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1868. Mother Caroline Friess, the first Superior of the young congregation in America, actually touched Canadian soil at that time to judge for herself the feasibility of sending Sisters to this new field of labor.

Grateful for the Guidance of Inspirational Women by Licinda Mytych Peters

I am an alumni of St. Augustine’s Catholic School in Elkridge, Maryland. I attended first grade through seventh grade there and was taught by a bevy of wonderful teachers and nuns who inspired and mentored me into becoming the strong woman I am today.

Sisters played vital role in education at Notre Dame Academy By Louise Ann Caravaggio, writer and alumna

The last reunion of Notre Dame Academy is slated for Sunday, June 10 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the former Waterdown school, which was established in 1927 and operated by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

2018 Reunion for Notre Dame Academy Alumnae: 1927 - 1983 By Sister Joan Helm

On a sunny Sunday afternoon on June 10, former students of Notre Dame Academy in Waterdown, eagerly arrived with yearbooks in hand, wearing their graduation rings and Notre Dame Academy pins. Teachers greeted the now, adult women, and, for some, checked name tags.