“You made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
This profound insight from St. Augustine first resonated with me during my senior year of high school, giving voice to a persistent spiritual longing. At the time, I could not have foreseen how this holy restlessness would shape the next seven decades of my life.
It was this internal call that led me to the Grand Rapids Dominicans, where I have been privileged to serve God and His people for seventy years. That same spirit of seeking has defined my diverse ministries as an educator, counselor, and companion. My journey has been enriched by the opportunity to instruct students across a vast spectrum of life experiences—from rural farming communities and diverse urban centers to my own ancestral country in the village of Tullycross, Ireland.
I remain deeply grateful for the abundant grace and support I have received from family, friends, and community members throughout this seventy-year vocation. My service has also afforded me the unexpected blessing of international travel, taking me to Spain, France, Italy, and the cultural centers of London and Amsterdam
Now, in this season of retirement, I remain compelled by that same restless heart to offer my stewardship wherever it is needed: serving on committees at Aquinas College, mentoring and engaging in the Grand Rapids Associate Program, supporting the mission at Marywood and volunteering within the local Grand Rapids community.
I offer this milestone not as a finish line, but as a prayer of deep thanksgiving. My life has been a tapestry woven from the diverse threads of the students I taught, the lands I visited, and the community that sustained me. While my ministries may change in this season of retirement, my vocation remains the same: to be a witness to God’s enduring love until that day when my heart finally finds its perfect rest in Him.
