Newspaper Page Text
Thursday, May 20, 1999
Notices
The Southern Cross, Page 11
Sister Pauline O’Brien, MFIC, to return to Savannah
By Jan Skutch
Savannah
H er native Irish brogue has with
stood 31 years stateside. Her zeal
for helping her less-fortunate neigh
bors remains intact. And the miles
have not proven a barrier to her return
to her adopted home.
Sister Pauline O’Brien will come
back to Savannah on July 1 as direc
tor of the Social Apostolate, the
somber storefront mission at Liberty
and Price streets operated by the
Catholic Diocese of Savannah as a
haven for the poor and homeless.
They are her people, Sister Pauline
said.
“Our particular focus is working
with our less fortunate,” says Sister
Pauline of her order, the Missionary
Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate
Conception. “I really see it (the new
role) as coordinating people’s good
ness in the service of humanity. That’s
what I’m most comfortable doing.”
The mission was left without a
director after Sister Mary Therese
Brown, who held the job for six
years, suffered what Sister Pauline
calls a catastrophic ill
ness earlier this year.
She returned to her
home order in Boston,
where she continues to
recuperate, said Sister
Pauline, who also has
been in Boston for the
past four years.
Sister Therese was the
second director, suc
ceeding Sister Mary
Catherine, who founded
the apostolate three
decades ago.
Sister Pauline
Bishop J. Kevin Boland welcomed
Sister Pauline’s return. “We’re
delighted to have her back in the dio
cese,” he said. “She has served the
church for the Savannah Diocese for
many years both in Albany and
Statesboro. We are confident that she
will meet the many needs of the
Social Apostolate.”
Sister Pauline shares more with her
predecessors than their order. When
she was in Savannah during the mid-
1970s, teaching eighth-graders at
Saint Mary School on West 36th
Street, Sister
Pauline lived with
Sister Mary Cather
ine at 439 East
Broad Street — the
former home of the
convent. The school
has since closed; the
convent is now the
state’s halfway
house for prisoners
preparing to reclaim
their freedom.
“I was a young
sister,” Sister
Pauline recalled. Sister Catherine was
“like a mentor,” she said, remember
ing that in her absence one summer
she ran the Social Apostolate.
During an eight-year span in
Albany, Sister Pauline said she did
pretty much the same work she will
do here — established a soup kitchen,
and thrift shop and worked with way
ward juveniles.
The Social Apostolate’s clients are
generally homeless who meet there
daily for what may be their only
meal. “I just take each day as it comes
and go with the flow,” Sister Pauline
said. “God blessed me with a lot of
good energy and a sense of humor.”
She worked at the Social Apostolate
for about a week recently and came
away impressed.
“What impressed me was the volun
teers. There was a very beautiful peo
ple atmosphere.” During that week
she met some of her old acquain
tances, “so it makes me feel very
comfortable,” she said.
“I’m really excited about it and I’m
looking forward to it.” Once here,
Sister Pauline said, “I will continue in
the same Franciscan tradition — the
sacredness of human person and rec
ognizing God in that person.”
And humility. “Each person, even
the least fortunate of us, has some
thing to lead all of us,” she said. “It’s
just harder to hear sometimes.”
“I’m not any greater than the person
being served,” she said. “It helps to
keep me humble.”
Jan Skutch writes for the Savannah
Morning News, from which this arti
cle is reprinted with permission.
Jeanne, Erin, & John Zittrauer
Quality Irish Imports
Religious Books * Gifts
309 Bull Street
Savannah, Georgia 31401
9:30 a.m.—5:30 p.m.
Monday—Saturday
(912)233-8858
fax 231-1524
Elementary Principal sought for
Blessed Sacrament School, Savannah
B lessed Sacrament School located in historic Savannah,
Georgia and nearby Atlantic Ocean beaches, is seeking
a principal beginning July 1, 1999. With an enrollment of
410 students in grades Pre-K through 8, this SAC and FCC
accredited school challenges its students to strive for acade
mic excellence and high standards of faith and moral values.
Applicants are to be practicing Catholics who can enhance
this family-oriented school with strong communication, lead
ership and financial management skills. Candidates should
have a master’s degree in education and be certifiable by the
State of Georgia. Salary commensurate with experience and
credentials.
Request application from, and mail or fax resume to:
Blessed Sacrament Search Committee,
Diocese of Savannah,
601 E. Liberty Street • Savannah, Georgia 31401
Telephone 912-238-2344 • Fax 912-238-2339
Survival School!!
“A Vision of Ministry in the Church of Today”
August 1-6,1999
Leader: Tricia Hoyt and Team, Diocese of Phoenix
Survival School is designed for those who are entrusted with
responsibility for the management of church-related programs staffed
predominantly with volunteers. The workshop, now in its 21st year, is
presented by The Phoenix Diocesan Center for Religious Studies and
Lay Ministry Formation (Kino Institute) and is staffed by leaders with
extensive experience in church management, both at the parish and
diocesan level. Recommended especially for Coordinators of Reli
gious Education, Youth Ministry, or Liturgy, Pastors, heads of parish
organizations or ministries.
Workshop begins on Sunday at 3 p.m. and closes on Friday by 2 p.m.
Cost: $525 (Private) / $475 (Double)
Registration Deadline: July 1, 1999
Contact: Marywood Center for Spirituality & Ministry
1714-5 State Road 13 • Jacksonville, Florida 32259-9253
(904) 287-2525
W
You are cordially invited
to attend a
Mass of Thanksgiving
to be offered by
Father Marvin J. LeFrois
on the occation of the
Fiftieth Anniversary of his
Ordination to the Priesthood
Wednesday, June ninth, Nineteen hundred ninety-nine
at seven-thirty p.m.
Saint |ohn the Evangelist Church
800 Gornto Road, Valdosta, Georgia
His Excellency, Bishop J. Kevin Boland, D.D.,
will preside and give the homily.
Reception following in the Parish Center
Please, at the request of Father Marv,
NO GIFTS.
Your presence will be your gift.
J
1 Year-$15
For more
information,
call The Southern
Cross
(912)
238-2320
The
Diocese of
Savannah
Send this in to your parish, together with
your check for $15 made out to the parish.
Name
Street
City, State, Zip
Phone
Parish