It’s all about people - developing a personal connection, a life connection. This is Sister Pat’s philosophy for tutoring in her ESOL classroom and for her recent volunteer stint at the U.S.-Mexico border. Reaching out to people, listening to them, talking to them, sharing a hug and making them feel welcome. Her philosophy is central to her teaching, connecting with them in and beyond the classroom. Patricia Shanahan is a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, a worldwide order of Catholic nuns whose mission is education for life, particularly among the poor. After many years in Peru, Sister Pat moved to the Hartford area, where the Order has an active retirement community. Not content to simply retire, she sought volunteer teaching opportunities. She found her way to LVGH, where her compassion and fluent Spanish make her an effective tutor in our ESOL program.
 

For two weeks this past summer, Sister Pat joined other volunteers to work at a respite center in McAllen, Texas. Respite centers are run by nonprofits to help new immigrant families transition from border detention centers to their new lives here. After families are provided information about the next stages in their journey, they are provided basic provisions and given time to clean up and rest before the next stage of their journey. During her visit, Sister Pat enjoyed making time to sit and talk with families awaiting buses that will carry them to other parts of the country to meet up with their sponsors and start new lives. She learned that many are escaping brutality, gang violence, and extortion in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. She listened to their stories and offered encouragement for their journey. In true Sister Pat form - she took the opportunity to teach their children a few words of English, recommending that they and their parents find programs like LVGH in their new communities.

Asked to share any words of wisdom for new tutors, Sister Pat suggested that tutors just “be themselves.” We are so thankful to have Sister Pat tutoring at LVGH, sharing her compassion, her work and her wisdom!

Want to join Sister Pat in volunteering at LVGH? Click here to get started!