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 Sr.
Barbara Catalano, OP
(Sr. Mary Alice)
Golden Jubilarian
50 years (July 9, 1956)
Sr. Barbara Catalano, OP, explains that her Dominican teachers at St. Mary of the Springs Academy were tremendous role models to her. But, even though she had wonderful experiences with the Sisters and had felt a calling to Religious life early on, she wasn't sure how she felt about becoming a Sister. She laughs about the fact that she asked God for a sign: to give her a scholarship to college if He didn't mean for her to become a Sister. She was beside herself when she did receive a scholarship, wondering if that really was what God wanted for her. After one year of college, however, the call to religious life touched her deeply and she decided to enter the Novitiate at St. Mary of the Springs. On the 50th anniversary of her first profession of vows, she says she has never regretted the decision.
In addition to her call to religious life, Sr. Barbara explains that she had always wanted to be a teacher. She completed the science program she started in college, and after a few years teaching grade school, she began teaching math and science at the high school level. High schools where she served include St. Mary (Lancaster, OH), Bishop Watterson (Columbus, OH), Holy Rosary/Catholic Central (Steubenville, OH) and Dominican Academy (New York, NY).
But, after studying and teaching science for more than 30 years, she was grateful for the opportunity to pursue another passion of hers and began studying scripture, theology, and pastoral care. For the past 13 years, Sr. Barbara has ministered in pastoral care, initially serving at Holy Cross parish (Glouster/Nelsonville, OH) and then St. Francis parish (Newark, OH). Today she is the Director of Evangelization for the parish of Corpus Christi/St. Leo in Columbus, Ohio.
Sr. Barbara shares that, in everything she has done, she always has tried to bring the Lord to the people she serves, whether in the classroom or in the church or in the parish hall. "Helping people come closer to Christ has been my passion and my motivation all these years," she says. "My prayer is that I can continue to be useful to the Lord and can continue to spread the Gospel in whatever years I have left. It has been a blessing to be a Dominican Sister."
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