Jeanne Morris, CDP

Sister Jeanne Morris entered the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1966. She is the product of catholic education which cultivated the soil to receive the invitation. Her family’s catholic culture and the upbringing in the faith was important and taken seriously especially to attend Sunday Mass. She was contemplative in her thoughts and intrigued with “creation” and how life evolved. She enjoyed the beauty of nature and the exquisiteness of mystic music surrounding the quiet space in church where she found solitude and presence of God. Attending Holy Week services also gave her a sense of awe and wonder. Are these some of the things that influenced her decision to enter religious life? She says these events led to her decision to say “YES.” The call and invitation are continuous. There was a moment in time that she said, “Yes” and she continues to do so.

Sister Jeanne's ministry has always been in education. From 1970-79 and 1980-1991, she taught at Sacred Heart Elementary in Kingston, Massachusetts, under the Principal and leadership of Sister Paraclete Hess. It was there that she learned the great responsibility of how students learn and how she learns with them. Sister Paraclete exemplified and modeled the art of education and teaching. Sister Jeanne was principal at Sacred Heart Elementary from 1992–2000. She also taught at St. Mary School in Richmond, Virginia (1979–80), St. Theresa Avila in West Roxbury, Massachusetts (2002–04) and Boston Boy Choir School in Cambridge, Massachusetts (2004–10). She was the tuition manager/administrative assistant at Mount St. Joseph Academy in Boston from 2010–12. Currently, Sister Jeanne is teaching Life Science and Earth Science with some Physics at St. Catherine of Siena Middle School in Norwood, Massachusetts.

Self-described as small but mighty, quiet but affirming and welcoming, Sister Jeanne enjoys reading material related to history, the political world and science; sports of all kinds and long walks. She relishes being an introvert with strong extrovert spontaneity. She says, "What is important to me within the charism of my community is the profound statement on the Mission and Vision as Sisters of Divine Providence. As an educator, my teaching and modeling embodies the essence 'to live and promote every form of non-violence,' especially within speech and conversation with each other, and the respect for human dignity, with the right of inclusiveness for all students. Finally, to instill within my students an understanding of what Providence theology means to us as Sisters of Divine Providence; as a way 'to collaborate with God – in being responsible for making God’s Providence visible to others in the world.' As students they will be responsible for the future church."