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Sisters
in Ministry:
Sister Maria Griego, PBVM
Sister Maria Griego has been teaching kindergarten at Saint John Vianney
School for nearly ten years and says, “You need a lot of energy and patience.” An
elementary school teacher for over thirty years, twenty-one of which have been
at Saint John Vianney’s, Sister Maria says, “I love teaching
and the people I work with are fabulous.
A native of New Mexico, Sister Maria met the Presentation Sisters in Pecos
where they were ministering in education. The kindergarten staff at Saint
John Vianney’s includes two teachers
and two aides, both of whom have been at the school for over ten years. Students
are able to work at computer stations, enjoy the reading nook, or experiment
with science projects in the kindergarten classroom. The teachers plan lessons
together and work cooperatively. At one point during the day, the sixty-four
students from both kindergarten sessions are in the classroom together for
fifteen minutes. “That’s when we teach music,” says Sister
Maria.
“This is a good school and a good administration,” says Sister Maria.“ They
keep me stretching and challenge me set new goals each year. I can grow and
I don’t stop learning.”
To get in touch with Sister Maria, you can call her at Saint John Vianney
School at
(408) 258-7677 or e-mail her at srmaria@sjvsj.org.
Sister Michele O’Connell, PBVM
Sister Michele O’Connell, PBVM, is currently on the staff of
Presentation Retreat Center in Los Gatos and is bringing all the experience,
talents, and skills of fifty years of ministry to her work there.
Beginning her ministry at Presentation Center in 1991, Sister Michele
serves in the Development Office where her biggest challenge each year
is spearheading the selling of the benefit drawing tickets for the
Center’s annual Benefit Dinner. The process for managing and
following through on the Benefit Drawing effort takes about seven months
each year, starting in December with preparation and a mailing to the
Center’s regular donors. Then, Sister Michele spends four months
visiting fourteen parishes in the Diocese of San Jose describing the
Center’s needs and selling tickets to new and continuing benefactors.
Last year, she was able to raise $75,000 for the Center through these
efforts.
“I am very happy here, this is probably the happiest time of my life,” says
Sister Michele. I have a sense of being needed and I feel like I am
doing something for people.”
Besides her Development role, Sister Michele also serves as a hostess
in the Dining Room about five days a week and also sets up coffee and
tea service in rooms for meetings.
A native of Ireland, Sister Michele joined the Presentation Sisters
in San Francisco on the advice of her confessor. Setting aside her
desire to be a missionary in Africa, Sister Michele traveled to San
Francisco where she knew no one and entered the Congregation in 1949.
Following her taking of vows, Sister Michele began her ministry in
teaching elementary school. During those years, she taught almost every
grade in elementary schools in Berkeley, San Francisco, San Jose, San
Lorenzo, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Los Angeles, and San Pedro. She also
served as a Principal in two schools.
During those years, she also completed her academic education with
an M.A. in Religious Studies from Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles.
For two years in the 1980s, she served as religion
coordinator in two San Jose schools, Saint Christopher
and Saint John Vianney. Sister
Michele said recently, “When I look back over the years, I am very
grateful for the wonderful friendships I have made with the sisters and
with the people I have worked with.”
To get in touch with Sister Michele, you can call her at Presentation Center,
408 354-2346.
Who
We Serve and Where
Founded
as a teaching order in 1775 in Ireland and coming to California in 1854,
the Sisters of the Presentation continue the spirit of Christian education
in the many ministries in which we are now engaged. Presentation Sisters
can be found in many parts of the world.
In
recent years, the Sisters of the Presentation in San Francisco have identified
and committed our personnel and other resources to the issues and values
stated in our Directions and Challenges statement.
Our
sisters continue to work in education at every academic level as well
as social and pastoral work of all kinds. While our sisters work in a
variety of ministry settings, those ministries which carry our name and
spirit most directly are our sponsored institutions. Wherever our sisters
minister, their particular interest is focused on the values of the Gospel
and the particular concerns of social justice.
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