They call me Mamaw

"For the past five years, I have been librarian at a small, parish elementary school, St. Gregory," Sister Rosemary said. "Before I came, the school had not had a Sister in years, so the children had some difficulty calling me Sister Rose. They call me 'Mamaw' or 'Gramma' or sometimes 'Grampa.' I am definitely a grandparent figure to them. This is a great advantage since they love their grandparents and treat me accordingly. They love books and being read to, and I always have helpers after school to shelve books. We talk about all sorts of things. The children love books about saints, science, mythology and anything funny."

After finishing a term in congregational leadership, Sister Rosemary wanted to work with teenagers again. She was hired by the county high school to work with pregnant teens. This involved home visits, counseling sessions at the high school and teaching parenting techniques to both boys and girls who were soon to be parents. One of her favorite students was a boy who wanted to attend classes even though his girlfriend didn't.

He said, "I am only 16 and I've never been a father before. I want to be the best daddy I can be."

In her free time, Sister Rosemary companions aging Sisters at the Dominican Sisters of Peace Sansbury Care Center in St. Catharine, Kentucky. "I drive Sisters or ride on the community care bus to help the Sisters to an appointment," Sister Rosemary said. "It is a privilege to companion those who are facing the challenges of aging. I also love to make pies; I made 13 different kinds of pie for an afternoon gathering at Sansbury. The weather wasn't good for meringue, so that will have to wait for the next time."

Sister Rosemary joins other members of the Dominican Sisters of Peace who serve the marginalized and the women and children of society. The Dominican Sisters of Peace are present in 22 states and three countries.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20161110/438099

SOURCE Dominican Sisters of Peace