El Proyecto de Las Rosas in Nano’s Spirit
 

A sunny day In front of El Proyecto de Las Rosas posing from left to right are
Sister Rita Jovick, PBVM, Sister Patricia Reinhart, PBVM and Sister Catherine Mary King, PBVM.
 

By Sister Rita Jovick, PBVM, Sister Catherine Mary King, PBVM and Sister Patricia Reinhart, PBVM

How did it happen that three Presentation Sisters are in Tipton in California's Central Valley teaching classes to adults at El Proyecto de Las Rosas?  Perhaps the answer lies in a poem describing our foundress, Nano Nagle, written by Raphael Consedine, PBVM, which reads in part--

                           In the face of fear, she chose to be daring.

                                    In face of anxiety she chose to trust.

                                             In face of impossibility

                                                      she chose to begin.

Father Jorge de la Torre, the administrator of Saint John's Parish in Tipton invited us to consider a ministry in his parish, located in one of the poorest and most underserved area in California.  After much prayer and discernment, we followed the promptings of our hearts and on September 18, 2006, accepted to begin a new ministry of adult education,  specifically English as a Second Language classes, at El Proyecto de Las Rosas, in the Central Valley of California.  Soon the beautiful San Joaquin Valley became our new home.

In the last five years, El Proyecto de Las Rosas Educational Program has grown. During the 2006-2007 school year, there were four ESL classes.  Now El Proyecto de Las Rosas has three ESL- I, two ESL - II, one ESL - III, one ESL - IV, one ESL - V and one conversational English class.  We also offer four weekly computer classes, one citizenship class and two guitar classes.  Baby sitting is provided while the parent(s) attend class.