“Teach them what they need for life.” – St. Julie Billiart
Sister Mary Theresa Kelleher, SNDdeN grew up in an Irish Catholic family in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Her mother was born in Boston and her father hailed from Leitrim, Ireland. She was the oldest of four siblings and remembers her childhood as a happy time, surrounded by family, friends, the Church, and Irish culture.
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur were a part of her life from an early age. She attended St. Mark's Elementary School in Dorchester, and then Notre Dame Academy in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur taught at both schools and impressed her with their joyousness and sense of purpose, and she thought she might like to follow in their footsteps.
Known as Sister Mary T., her first ministry was teaching second grade at Saint Mary’s in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “I was there for only one year,” she recalls, “but I loved the little children and their enthusiasm.” During her long and fruitful career in education, she taught elementary and high school-aged students at several schools in Massachusetts including Our Lady Star of the Sea in Marblehead, St. Joseph’s in Somerville, Academy of Notre Dame in Tyngsboro, and Cardinal Cushing High School in South Boston.
After studying catechetics at Lumen Vitae in Brussels, Belgium, Sister Mary T. was missioned to Emmanuel College in Boston. Of all her ministries, her 40-year tenure at Emmanuel stands out as particularly meaningful. She served in many positions there, first in the catechetical program, then as assistant director of residence, dean of students and finally as academic advisor. "I loved all my missions, but I felt most at home at Emmanuel College.” recalls Sister Mary T. “I saw the students start as shy, unsure freshmen and then graduate four years later as confident, committed young adults.”
Looking back at her many years as a beloved Sister of Notre Dame de Namur she is grateful for the wealth of opportunities and possibilities she has been given. She is thankful for her many friends. “I found it to be a wonderful life, fulfilling, challenging at times,” she said. “I was always reminded of the goodness of God.”
Sister Mary T. draws hope from the reflective questioning of the young people she has encountered and the deep-seated goodness of the people in her life.