Sister Rosemary Stanton, SSMN: Global Citizen
Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur

I entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur. thirty-five years ago. My father worked hard so that we could go to a Catholic School. I am a graduate of Nolan Catholic High School and my Catholic Faith has always been an important part of my life which has been full of many people and experiences. As a young sister, at age twenty-two, I went to be part of a formation community of our congregation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo living with sisters of several nationalities learning something about being part of, and at the service of, the universal Church. After eight years in Africa, I ministered for twenty-five years with our sisters in the northeastern part of Brazil. Many years in countries and among peoples of other nationalities and cultures have made me a sort of global citizen who knows from close up about the beauty, the human richness and great material poverty and unjust situations in these places of the world. Their presence in my heart and life make me hear the continuous call to live in solidarity with them, their hopes and needs, and a call to be a bridge-builder between cultures and peoples.

In July of this year, I joined the Nolan Catholic High School staff as the coordinator of pastoral services, which is the chaplaincy ministry. As part of the Campus Ministry team and in that capacity I contact priests to help with the sacramental needs of the school. I help plan the school liturgies and work with students on the liturgical council. As one trained in Spiritual Direction and in the area of Pastoral Care, I offer spiritual and religious guidance for students, faculty and staff. During religion classes I lead prayer services in which the students are exposed to different forms of prayer. With the Campus Ministry team, I coordinate class retreats throughout the year. Yes, the road less traveled is definitely worth the journey.