Opening My Mind, Stretching My Heart

By Sister Dianne Shaw, SNDdeN

I have volunteered at Notre Dame Education Center (NDEC) in Lawrence, Massachusetts for about 10 years. I began as a mentor in English language practice, as immigrant students find it next to impossible to find someone with whom to practice English. It was then that I learned firsthand about the joys, sorrows, challenges and successes of being an immigrant in the United States.

When Covid struck, the students continued meeting online. We forged relationships as we celebrated the goodness of God in each of our lives and how God is leading each one to discover new gifts within, develop them and grow as a result. This journey certainly aligned with St. Julie’s vision: to provide each person with what they need to live a full life. At ndec, this empowerment is happening every day.

Presently, I volunteer as an initial interviewer for candidates, some young, some older, men and women, mostly immigrants, who desire to become certified nursing assistants. This program equips them with the skills to become healthcare professionals, which can lead to meaningful jobs in a variety of settings.

My 66 years as a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur have opened my mind and stretched my heart. From elementary school teacher to religious education director to school counselor in inner city schools, and a Navajo Mission School in New Mexico, to presently being “retired” in Ipswich, Massachusetts, my mind and heart have been expanded to include the world and all its people.

How blessed I am to have been called to be a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur.