Sister Sandra Delgado, OP, Prioress, formally opened the Congregation’s 55th General Chapter, held March 3 to 10, 2024.
On Friday, March 8, 2024, the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids elected their next prioress and leadership team members. The newly elected Leadership Team steps forward to lead the mission and life of the Congregation beginning July 1, 2024, through a six-year term ending July 1, 2030.
The Chapter’s 55 delegates elected:
Sister Megan McElroy OP, Prioress-elect, is currently serving as Councilor on the congregation’s leadership team. Previously, she served as co-director of the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate in St. Louis. She served as a pastoral associate in Michigan at St. Patrick Parish in Traverse City and St. Blase Parish in Sterling Heights. Early in her career, she taught school at Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, Illinois. She received her DMin in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology. BA in Religious Studies from Aquinas College; a MTS degree from St. John Provincial Seminary; a MDiv with a focus in Word and Worship from Catholic Theological Union; and a DMin in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology.
Sister Diane Zerfas, OP, Vicaress-elect, has coordinated and facilitated Dominican Center Marywood spiritual formation programs for the past 18 years. She is an adjunct at Aquinas College in Women and Spirituality. She has served the Congregation of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids in formation ministry, pastoral ministry, and preaching at Dominican Chapel Marywood. She previously served in elected leadership 2000-2006. Diane graduated from Marywood Academy where she explored a love of learning and learned to love liturgy and the Dominican charisms. She entered the Grand Rapids Dominicans when she was a sophomore at Aquinas College. She received her Masters of Arts in Pastoral Studies – Aquinas Institute of Theology, St. Louis, MO, Masters of Arts in Religious Studies – Aquinas College, and Bachelor of Science (Math, Chemistry, Theology, Education) Aquinas College.
Sister Kathi Sleziak, OP, Councilor-elect, is currently Executive Assistant to the Dominican Sisters-Grand Rapids Leadership Team. Her past ministries include Vocation Ministry for the Dominican Sisters; co-founder of Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities in Grand Rapids and director of Grandville Avenue Academy for the Arts (now known as Cook Art Center); and for over 20 years as a special education teacher for St Clair County ISD. She is currently a member of Mary’s Hope Committee whose vision is to add beauty to the Marywood Campus and increase the ecological benefits and health of the land. She earned her Bachelors degree from Marygrove College in Detroit, and Masters degrees from both Eastern Michigan University and Michigan State University.
Sister Mary Donnelly, OP, Councilor-elect, has been a Rector at the University of Notre Dame for the past 16 years, and has ministered to college students for 35 years. She has served as formation director for the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids and as adjunct faculty at Aquinas College in the theology department. She previously served as Pastoral Associate and Campus Minister at St. Paul Campus Parish, Big Rapids, Michigan. She earned her Bachelors degree from Aquinas College, a Masters degree from Aquinas Institute of Theology, and a Doctor of Ministry from Western Theological Seminary.
The positions-elect will succeed Sandra Delgado, OP, Prioress; Joan Williams OP, Vicaress; Maureen Geary, OP, Councilor; Megan McElroy, OP, Councilor.
###