“Teach all that is necessary for life.”
-St. Julie Billiart
I am the older of two children born in Lawrence, MA to Beatrice (Jeffrey) and Kenneth T. Shaw, with my brother, Ken being five years younger. Both of my parents were born in the U.S. while my maternal grandparents were immigrants from England. My dad’s parents were born in the US.
I went to public school from Grade 1-Grade 8 and only encountered the Sisters of Notre Dame on Sundays as they directed Religious Education in St. Monica Parish, Methuen, MA. They were mysterious beings and, much to my dismay, my parents insisted that I got to St. Mary High School in Lawrence, MA. My adjustment was far from easy, but, as I go to know the Sisters I felt more at home.
To my own and others' utter amazement, I felt drawn to enter Notre Dame, in my mind, on a trial basis, in 1960. I discovered that I loved teaching and have been in some form of education ever since. I feel that the risk-taking in my life was moving to the inner city to live and work, then to rural New Hampshire and back again.
The move to New Mexico to be a School Counselor at St. Bonaventure Mission and School opened my eyes and heart to a new culture, the Navajos. After returning to Massachusetts after 8 years in New Mexico, I am now in my 60th year in Notre Dame, am retired and volunteering at Notre Dame Education Center in Lawrence, MA. I have loved every mission and ministry and feel blessed to have experienced first hand how good the good God is!
Sister Dianne's Ministries
1965-68 St. Gregory Elementary School, Dorchester, MA
1968-73 St. Augustine School, Lawrence, MA
1973-83 Elementary School Counselor, East Boston, MA
1983-90 Director of Religious Education, Enfield, NH
1990-2008 Elementary School Counselor, St. Augustine School. Lawrence, MA (Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish)
2008-2016 Elementary School Counselor, St. Bonaventure Mission & School Thoreau, NM
2016- retired, Volunteer Notre Dame Education Center, Lawrence, MA