Academic Accolades
For Religious Sisters of Fairmont Catholic
By Sr. Martha Gomez,
Delegate for Consecrated Life
Spring is a great time to celebrate academic accomplishments. Today I want to applaud two very special teachers who just received their Master of Arts Degrees in Education Leadership from Wheeling University.
Sister Setsulu Mary Kezo, U.F.C., and Reeta Minin Lopis, U.F.C., are here from India serving the children at Fairmont Catholic School and St. Peter the Fisherman Parish, in Fairmont.
We are very proud of these sisters who left their homes and country, responding to an invitation to come and serve the children in West Virginia. Coming from another country myself I know what it takes to respond to God’s call to serve Him in a place thousands of miles from home. It is another level of answering the call and making sacrifices for God and His people. It is our vocation and commitment we embrace for religious life. We do so freely knowing of God’s promise. With Christ we know the work of our hands, hearts, and minds moves us forward in serving God with the talents that he provides us with. That is what motivated Sr. Setsulu Mary Kezo and Sr. Reeta Minin Lopis to work hard on earning advanced degrees, while fulfilling their service to the school and parish.
Their generosity will never be forgotten, and our appreciation needs to be known to them by supporting them in their achievements and endeavors. We might not know now about the great impact they have on our community, but the fruits will come later when we see our children succeed in life by been good people and citizens.
It is clear that Bishop Mark Brennan values Catholic schools and has supported Father Joseph Konikattil’s effort to continue a strong Catholic education for the children in the Fairmont area. He is very much impressed with the work the sisters are rendering to the children in their surroundings.
Thanks to them and the support of their parish and school community, Fairmont has a total of five Ursuline Franciscan Congregation Sisters serving our Diocese in our Catholic School in Fairmont, and they are: Sr. Reeta Minin Lopis, who is responsible for the sisters; Sr. Setsulu Mary Kezo; Sr. Neetha D’Souza; Sr. Rita Miranda; and Sr. Shelma D’Souza.
It is a blessing to have such a young joyful, grateful group of Sisters.
