S. TESA FITZGERALD ’64

President of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph

MD: You believe that education doubles as the act of leading people to become a better version of themselves. In what way has this notion revealed itself in your life in particular?

STF: Well, certainly through my work in formal education. I was a teacher, a principal, and a supervisor of schools. After working in education, I landed in another whole world, the world of formerly incarcerated and incarcerated women.

That was a game-changer because that's when I realized the real value of education and the gift that I was given. I saw that education can change the lives of people. The women I saw in prison were struggling and they shared that formal education wasn’t something that was made attractive to them.

I became a licensed foster mother and committed my life to helping people recognize the value of education, not only for the mother but for their children, too. At Hour Children, the non-profit where I was the Executive Director, we made education a priority. Education was the path to their future. I think it is unfair when children are robbed of an education they deserve. We are doing them an injustice if we just move them along and do not prepare them for their next phase of life. To this day, I receive notes from former students sharing experiences that we taught them.

My mother and father were Irish immigrants. They made great sacrifices to send my sister and me to Sacred Heart and my brothers to Chaminade. I could have gone to Hewlett High School but they were so proud to send us to Catholic school because they recognized the importance of it. I was so proud of them for making those decisions and felt responsible to pay it forward.

MD: What excites you most about the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph and the future of allgirls education at Sacred Heart?

STF: Well, it excites me because there is a future and all the possibilities. I love the word possibilities—if dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough! Surround yourself with positive people with infectious ideas, and you can make anything happen.

All Girls’ education absolutely has a future because it's a life-changer, and it lets you be who you are without having to worry about all the other things going on. I see a great future because we have a commitment to get people to work hard and invest in what’s important.

MD: How can Sacred Heart play a part in keeping the mission alive?

STF: I think you do that by living it. Get involved in issues that are important to you, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Once you read the news with a different eye, an eye that is focused on the mission, you have to voice what is important to you. You can’t be afraid to speak up for what is right, that’s how you live the mission. Once you commit to loving God and neighbor, you can’t go wrong. You have to stay focused on the common good. We are never finished growing, thank God! It happens all the time when you hear people— listening to people's stories, respecting that, and then walking together and reconfirming the humility of your own story, too. So I think it's very simple. It doesn't have to be grandiose, but that's really where it begins in this simple love.

S. Tesa and Maeve are sisters in the mission of Sacred Heart.