Dominican Life USA Editor Elected
Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de’Ricci Elect New Leaders

NISKAYUNA, NY-  The Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de’ Ricci held their Chapter of Life and Mission,  August 3-6, 2009 and elected new leadership. Sr. Anne Lythgoe, OP the Editor of Dominican Life | USA their next President.

The congregation also elected three Council Members: Sr. Ceal Warner, OP who was elected to a second term along with  new leaders Sr. June Fitzgerald, OP and Sr. Lucy Vazquez, OP.

LEFT Seated: Ssr. Anne Lythgoe, OP and Ceal Warner, OP LEFT Standing: Srs. June Fitzgerald and Lucy Vazquez, OP

Sr. Anne Lythgoe, OP a native of Philadelphia, has served the Dominican Leadership Conference’s Communications Coordinator since 2002 and as editor of its online news magazine since 2004 (see side story)

Sr. Ceal Warner, OP is currently a member of the congregation’s leadership team and is a licensed pastoral counselor and has served as an addictions counselor for Jefferson University Hospital.

Sr. June Fitzgerald, OP is presently on the retreat staff of the Dominican Retreat, McLean, VA, in the Arlington diocese.  She is a certified spiritual director and ministers at the retreat house.

Sr. Lucy Vazquez, OP, a canon lawyer, has ministered for over 30 years in the diocese of Orlando, FL, in numerous roles, including Chancellor and Vicar of Religious. She currently serves eight parishes in annulment advocacy.

The present leadership team includes: Sr. Carolyn Krebs, OP (President), Sr. Carol Gaeke, OP (Director of Personnel and Ministry), and Council Members: Sr. Ceal Warner, OP, Sr. Pat Mood, OP and Sr. Barbara Ebner, OP. The new leadership team will begin their service in January, 2010.

The congregation of St. Catherine de’ Ricci has 71 sisters and 55 associates.  They also own and operate the Dominican Spiritual Life Center, Niskayuna, NY and the Dominican Retreat, McLean, VA. The sisters serve in 13 dioceses around the United States.

At its Chapter of Life and Mission, the sisters also considered how to assure its mission into the future through a possible reconfiguration.  In 2008, the community agreed to pursue a canonical merger with another Dominican congregation and this meeting took further steps in that direction.