Born and raised in Jersey City, I received my values and ideas from my faith-filled parents who are of Polish and Slovak decent.  I am the oldest of three children and I attended St. Anthony School and High School there.  As a high school senior I was asked by two Felician Sisters who had taught me: “What do you want to do with your life?  Do you hear the call?”  In 1960, I answered yes by entering the Felician order at the age of 18.  I earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Felician College, Lodi and later earned a master’s degree in Religious Education from Fordham University, the Bronx, N.Y., and a certificate in Pastoral Bereavement Counseling.

In my early education years I taught elementary and secondary-school levels in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware.  In 1968 I came to Prospect Park to teach at the former St. Paul School, where I later became principal.  I also headed the parish’s religious education program for 5 years.  From my start at St. Paul to 1975, I served as the diocesan Religious Education Office’s associate director of parish catechetics, while also teaching math at Pope John XXII Regional High School in Sparta.

In 1976 I left my beloved Felician Sisters.  I was looking for a new model of living in the world today while maintaining the Franciscan religious charism of the Felicians.  I don’t regret one moment as a Felician- the formation I received and the friendships I made.  Later I went on to co-found the Society of the Sisters of the Church religious community.

In 1979 I had the wonderful opportunity to minister at St. Mary’s Parish, Pompton, Lakes as Pastoral Associate.  After 24 years of ministry, I left in October of 2004 to come to Our Lady of Consolation as Pastoral Associate for outreach.  Leaving St. Mary’s was a tough decision, but after 24 years there, it was time for a change.  A discernment process – accompanied by prayer and consultation – brought me to Our Lady of Consolation.

My goals are to promote wellness in a holistic way with the parish and to become all that we can be in mind, body and spirit.  Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”  I want to articulate the vision and make the vision a reality through the model of stewardship.  I believe the parish is the center of life in the community.  It should offer life-giving opportunities for each person to know his or her faith.  I love parish work and the people of OLC have a phenomenal spirit.  I am truly blessed to be a part of the stewardship “way of life” here at OLC.