Four women from the Arlington Diocese, including two former
members of the Catholic Herald staff, will soon enter
the next stage of their religious formation.
Sister Grace Dominic, 36, Sister Ann Catherine, 32, and
Sister Maeve Nativitas, 29, will profess their perpetual vows
as Sisters of Life Aug. 6. Sister M. Stephanie Gabriel Tracy,
35, will make her first profession of vows for the Sisters,
Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Aug. 10.
Sister Stephanie grew up in Manassas where she attended All
Saints Church. She was a Catholic Herald student
correspondent while attending Paul VI Catholic High School in
Fairfax, a summer intern in 2002, and an editorial assistant
from 2007 to 2009. She graduated from Franciscan University
of Steubenville, Ohio in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in
history and communications with a concentration in print
journalism, and continued on the following year to earn a
master’s in journalism from the University of
Maryland-College Park. She is in formation at the Villa Maria
House of Studies in Immaculata, Pa.
Sister Grace was raised in Silver Spring, Md. She graduated
from Catholic University with a bachelor’s degree in
communications and from Franciscan University with a master’s
in theology. Prior to entering the Sisters of Life in 2008,
she was an award-winning staff writer at the Catholic
Herald. She currently serves as the vocations director
for the community, guiding young women discerning a call to
religious life.
Sister Ann was raised in Annandale and attended St. Ambrose
Church. She graduated from the University of Mary Washington
with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. She serves in the
generalate at Annunciation Motherhouse.
Sister Maeve was a parishioner of St. Veronica Church in
Chantilly. She graduated from Catholic University with a
bachelor’s degree in philosophy. She serves in the Visitation
Mission in New York City, where she offers spiritual and
emotional support for pregnant women to help them choose life
for themselves and their children.
The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM)
is a Pontifical religious institute started in the mid-1800s.
Its members profess the public vows of poverty, chastity and
obedience. The IHM charism is love, creative hope and
fidelity.
The Sisters of Life is a community of women founded in 1991
by Cardinal John O’Connor. In addition to the three
traditional vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, the
sisters take an additional fourth vow to protect and enhance
the sacredness of human life. They welcome pregnant guests to
live with them in their convents, assist pregnant women
through their Visitation Missions, host retreats at the Villa
Maria Guadalupe Retreat Center and help those who have had
abortions to find hope and healing.
Husar can be reached at [email protected]
