Caroline “Francis Xavier” Sanchez (1935-2025)

Returned to God on July 15, 2025

Growing up in the St. Columbkille Parish (Los Angeles, California), Sister Caroline Sanchez, SNDdeN knew the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur at an early age. In fact her mother served as an unofficial “chauffeur” to the Sisters in those early days when Sisters weren’t permitted to drive. Interested in vocations throughout her teen years, in her junior year of high school Caroline was given the following discernment advice from a Sister: Make a novena, and at the end, make up your mind about entering or not—and don’t change it!

Sister Caroline did make up her mind and served as a Sister of Notre Dame for more than 70 years. For 20 of those years she taught grades four to eight. She confesses that she wasn’t a natural-born teacher: “Though I enjoyed it, I had to learn how to teach.”

Sister Caroline recalled her 16 years as an infirmarian for older Sisters at the Notre Dame Villa in Saratoga as a “perfect fit.” It was hands-on nursing with everyone sharing in the work, from washing and dressing patients to helping them with therapy. Later after she became a Licensed Vocational Nurse she was able to give medications as well. During the time she ministered at the Villa, she also lived and worked at the Casa de Clara Catholic Worker Shelter for homeless women. It was a wonderful time of service.

When a health issue necessitated a change, she was encouraged to move back to Los Angeles to teach English to parents of St. Columbkille School students. Originally the daily class was held at the convent with space given for the mothers to bring their younger children. Later Sister Caroline took on the challenge of serving as the Notre Dame AmeriCorps coordinator in Los Angeles for what she calls “seven exciting years.”

Among her last ministries, Sister Caroline served as volunteer at St. Columbkille School, as an active member of the parish St. Vincent de Paul Society and a member of the parish finance council. She continued to be energized by being with the poor and the marginalized, and said: “I particularly love working in the inner city. It enlivens me. And I love that the congregation is engaged in justice issues. Our first Hallmark expressing the goodness of God is so important. It’s an antidote to violence, to all the terrible things in the world. It’s what I can do now.”

Updated in 2025