“My journey as a Sister of Mercy has been the greatest blessing in my life. The charism of Mercy which inspired the dream of Mother Catherine McAuley to embrace our merciful God and make Him known and loved remains my motivation for continuing to chase her dream these many years,” Sister Ann Veronica reflects.
Sr. Ann Veronica brings that charism to each board meeting ensuring that every discussion keeps the Mercy tenets at the forefront of all that St. Catharine’s does for its students. She works diligently to keep a Catholic education in the Bronx as affordable as possible.
Sister Ann Veronica began her teaching career at Good Shepherd School in Manhattan where she taught middle school students Religion and English Language Arts for 14 years. She dedicated the rest of her career to students in the poorest Congressional District in the nation as principal of St. Margaret Mary School in the South Bronx. During her 40-year tenure, Sister Ann Veronica says it was her privilege “to serve God’s beautiful children” ranging from three year olds in Pre-K to 8th graders.
A member of the 125th Anniversary Committee, Sr. Ann Veronica worked for more than two years to create events which celebrated what makes St. Catharine’s special. The Gala and Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral were just two of the highlights of the year celebrating the many achievements of alumnae and praying for the St. Catharine community, past, present and future.
Sister Ann Veronica professed her vows with the Sisters of Mercy in 1963. She explains, “Sisters of Mercy take a “fourth vow of service to the poor, sick and uneducated’ in addition to the usual three of poverty, chastity and obedience.”
She adds that serving on the Board at St. Catharine Academy with “a remarkable community of people” gives her the opportunity to live out her daily prayer based on these vows: “I dedicate myself to a life of prayer, openness to God, and generous love for others as exemplified in the life of Christ. I will live in the Community of the Sisters of Mercy and assume responsibility for achieving its goals of service to the Church and the world. In a spirit of faith and hope, I unite my offering to that of all the members of my community and trust in their support and in the help and the love of the Lord.”