SR. ELIZABETH ANN O'REILLY ’91

She and identical twin, Dr. Katie O’Reilly, also a Dominican alumna, considered careers in medicine. Their spiritual conversions in college led them on different, but often parallel paths. “Being an identical twin is one of the greatest blessings of my life. I never cease to be amazed at how God continues to work in our lives in such complementary ways. Witnessing my sister’s daily, generous gift of herself to her vocations of marriage, motherhood and doctor inspires and encourages me to give myself ever more fully to my own vocation as a Bride of Christ, spiritual mother and teacher.”

While she was at Dominican, Sr. Elizabeth Ann O’Reilly wasn’t thinking seriously of a religious vocation. However, seeds of her Dominican vocation were sown. “I’m certain that the witness of Sisters such as Sr. Dominic Savio and Sr. Delia, as well as the Dominican symbols that adorned the school hallways and chapel, were part of what made the Dominican Order feel like home to me when I encountered it again in the future. Two things I loved best about Dominican were Rally Nights and the Toast of Praise.” When she met a group of Dominican students at the 2021 March for Life in D.C., they formed a large circle in the middle of the street for the Toast of Praise. For her, “It was so much fun. Even though we didn’t know each other and may never see one another again, we have a bond forever because of Dominican High School!”

During freshman year at Franciscan University of Steubenville, she learned about the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. Seeing one of the Sisters playing basketball in her habit, she was hooked. Founded in 1997 by four Sisters, the order has been called one of the country’s fastestgrowing and vibrant religious communities; more than 150 Sisters and average age of 33. “The first thing that drew me to the order was the joy of the Sisters giving their whole lives to Christ. I also loved their devotion to Mary and the Eucharist, particularly the daily holy hour. When I attended a vocation discernment retreat at the Motherhouse, it felt like home. I knew it was where I belonged.”

“Religious life is a great adventure. When I entered the community in 2000, there were only 12 members, and 12 of us entered –doubling the community’s size. Our founding Sisters shared their vision of peppering the US with small, vibrant communities of religious women and spreading the witness to Christ, coast to coast. I remember thinking that I’d be in the infirmary before we grew large enough for that vision to become a reality, but God had other plans! We celebrate our 25th anniversary this year and number over 140 Sisters with 19 missions across the U.S. and in Rome. It is amazing to see what God has done!”

June 2021, delegates for the Orders’ General Chapter elected the Prioress General and General Council. Sr. Elizabeth was humbled and honored to be elected Fourth Counselor; a six-year term. “In addition to the First Councilor or Vicaress General, there are three other Councilors. The Councilor role is to assist the Prioress General in fulfilling her office and in this way to serve the whole Community. I enjoy most having the opportunity to serve the Community in a new and deeper way.”

The Motherhouse is in Ann Arbor, Michigan, however, apostolic endeavors bring Sisters throughout the US and beyond. “There’s a saying, ‘Enter the convent, see the world!’ and it’s proven true in my case,” said Sr. Elizabeth.

December 2021, Colette Bagert Hirstius was named Senior Vice President, Shell Gulf of Mexico, for Shell Energy Resources Company, a subsidiary of Shell USA, Inc. The appointment heralded her as the first women to be the head of Shell’s US Gulf Operations. Shell is the largest producer in the Gulf of Mexico. It has eight deepwater offshore platforms extracting a daily estimated 476,000 barrels of oil – almost 20 percent of Shell’s global oil and gas production in 2020. In remarks to the US Senate on March 10, 2022, Colette said, “Shell is proud of its history providing energy to consumers in the United States and around the world, and