Carmichael, California
IN THE BEGINNING……. (1961-1991)
In the nineteen fifties when Catholic schools were needed in the growing Sacramento Diocese of the U.S.A., the Sisters in St. John’s, Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland had several requests for Sisters to staff grade schools. Bishop Mc Gucken visited St. John’s in the summer of 1959 and petitioned for a group of Sisters, “to staff a school in a new parish which was to be started in 1960”.
On August 18th, 1961, seven sisters – six teaching and one nursing Sister accompanied by Mother Joseph Mary McSweeney and Mother Clement Horgan left Shannon airport for America. Six teaching Srs. – Srs. Paul Bunce, Irene Stack (Sr. Michael) , Joseph Hickson, Regina Dunne, Ignatius(Kathy )Cunningham, St. John (Eileen O’Sullivan) , the nurse was Sr. Mechtilde Leen. Fr. Kenny, representatives from the San Francisco and Sacramento dioceses and some families from the newly-created St. John the Evangelist Parish met them at San Francisco Airport. The convent in Carmichael was not ready so the newly -arrived remained for one week in San Francisco as the guests of the Mercy Sisters.
On August 25th the Sisters set out for Sacramento. For nine weeks – until the convent was ready – the St. John’s Sisters commuted each day to Auburn – Mother House of the Sisters of the Diocese of Sacramento. That in itself was a blessing in disguise . The experience of those weeks was very enriching. The hospitality, generosity, help, advice and encouragement of the Sisters is forever etched in our memory and deserves to be acknowledged.
On September 12th, 1961, the new school opened its doors to the first students. It catered for six grades – one through six. The class loads were heavy – fifty to fifty five in each grade!!. The first year was quite a challenge and was a great learning experience for parents, students and teachers. THE LADIES OF TRALEE – an auxiliary of the SIsters of Mercy – were formed and enveloped the Sisters in a protective mantle of friendship. In the following thirty years many other Sisters from Tralee also came to work in various ministries in Sacramento.
Additional involvements of the Sisters over the years included Religious Education (CCD), visitation of homes for the aged, parent and student counselling, Adult Religious Education, Pro-Life and Alcoholic phone counseling, Marriage Encounter, Visitation of the sick, pastoral care and many other ministries in answer to the needs of those times.
By the end of the 1990s, due to ageing and the decline in religious vocations, the Sisters had returned to Ireland, their mission accomplished- St. John the Evangelist school still functions in Sacramento.
Southern Province 