Graced Faces Bio

Her more than 50 years in the ministry of education included teaching grades 1 – 3, leading the St. Francis Education Center as both teacher and Principal, teaching special education, serving 15 years at the National Catholic Education Association in Washington, DC., and, locally, teaching at St. Ursula Academy and Lourdes University. Sister served on the Bethany House Board and volunteers at the Motherhouse.

Sister spent nearly 60 years in the classroom, teaching middle school religion for the majority of those years. As a moderator for the National Junior Honor Society, she worked with students to raise money for vests for the K-9 Division of the Pontiac Police Dept., to support the local Humane Society, collect socks for the homeless and bring food to the Gleaners Community Food Bank.

Sister Barbara taught middle school for six years before going back to school to work on an undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the University of Toledo, a master’s at St. Louis University and her PhD at University of Minnesota. Since 1992, she’s served in the ministry as a Chemistry Professor at Lourdes University.

Sister taught HS and College Math while earning her master’s degree at Wayne State University. During her Novitiate years, she served as Director of St. Louis Helping Hands Soup Kitchen and as a Math instructor at Lourdes College. Since 2005, she’s served at Lourdes University as the Director of Campus Ministry, Director of Service Learning and, recently, VP of Mission Integration.