When many adults are thinking about retirement or slowing down their professional careers, Sister Ann Coleman was just getting started on the next big step in her decades in education. A native of San Antonio, Sister Ann began teaching in 1965 and spent more than 40 years instructing students from fourth grade to high school in Louisiana, Texas and Missouri....Read more

From Michele Levandoski, archivist at the School Sisters of Notre Dame North American Archives: The original story behind this spoon was that Mother Caroline Friess brought it with her from Germany when she emigrated to the United States in 1847. The issue, however, is that it was engraved with the following: “Ven. Mother M. Caroline.” When Mother Caroline came to...Read more

“All Christians and people of good will are today called to work not only for the abolition of the death penalty, legal or illegal, in all its forms, but also to work for the improvement of prison conditions, out of respect for the human dignity of persons deprived of their freedom. I would link this to life imprisonment… A life...Read more

In 2015, Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Laudato Si’ inspired and urged the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics and all people of good will to take urgent action against the injustice of the climate emergency and the ecological crisis, to protect the poor and future generations. The School Sisters of Notre Dame has a long history of working for the care of creation and...Read more

On Wednesday, December 8, a new Atlantic-Midwest Provincial Council was installed during a ceremony at Villa Assumpta in Baltimore, Md. The ceremony appointed the following Sisters to a four-year term: Sister Charmaine Krohe, Provincial Leader Sister Mary Roy Weiss, Provincial Councilor/Vicar Sister Paula Dukehart, Provincial Councilor Sister Mary Fitzgerald, Provincial Councilor Sister Nancy Gilchriest, Provincial Councilor Sister Margaret Malone, Provincial Councilor...Read more

Click here for SSND resources on human trafficking A different kind of epidemic Effingham sits at the crossroads of two major U.S. interstates in the middle of rural Illinois. For a population of 12,500, there is an overabundance of truck stops, gas stations, restaurants and hotels; a great number of travelers just pass through on a daily basis. There is...Read more

During the four weeks leading up to Christmas, Advent calendars have become a popular tradition in many families. Oftentimes, there are small gifts or candy behind each door of an Advent calendar, but School Sisters of Notre Dame sisters and associates encourage you and your family to try something different this year– a reverse Advent basket. The idea is simple....Read more

1. Our name only tells part of the story. We minister in formal education AND we are also spiritual directors, pastoral ministers, youth ministers, artists, companions to prisoners, the homeless, immigrants/refugees, advocates for the marginalized and much more! For us, education means enabling people to reach the fullness of their potential as individuals created in God’s image and assisting them...Read more

We, the believers of the different religions, know that our witness to God benefits our societies. The effort to seek God with a sincere heart…helps us recognize one another as travelling companions, truly brothers and sisters.  –FRATELLI TUTTI 274   This article first appeared in the 2021 Trust & Dare magazine. School Sisters of Notre Dame first arrived in The...Read more

On October 24, 2021, we celebrate 188 years as the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) while remembering the strength and commitment of our foundress, Blessed Theresa of Jesus Gerhardinger. Blessed Theresa established the congregation in 1833 in Neunburg vorm Wald, Bavaria. Just 14 years later, she responded to a call to open schools in North America. Having accompanied Blessed...Read more