Sister Theresa Ryan (Peter Therese)
Sister Theresa was born to teach and did so for fifty-three years. She had the rare gift of engaging her students in the process of learning, not just acquiring information, and made it exciting as well as challenging. In her early years in ministry, Sister Theresa served at the former Saint Kevin School in Dorchester, MA and then at the former Saint Peter School, Lowell, MA. After a brief assignment at Saint Sebastian School in Woodside, NY, she was missioned to Sacred Heart School, Riverton, NJ and then, returning to Saint Sebastian School, served there for the next thirty-two years. Along with her teaching assignments, Sister Theresa also served in the parish as a religious education teacher, a Eucharistic Minister and a visitor to the sick and homebound. Sisters of Charity, Halifax are called to "give joyful witness to love, the love of God and of all persons." Her ministry later expanded across Canada as she worked in pastoral care and counselling in parishes throughout British Columbia and Alberta, including a maximum-security prison for men in Edmonton, where she brought dignity, encouragement, and hope to those often forgotten by society. She later returned to Nova Scotia to serve at the Carmel Centre in New Waterford and St. Vincent Convent in Glace Bay. Sister Helen loved reading and writing stories for her students. She shared children’s stories throughout her ministry in schools, inspiring wonder and joy in young readers. Her passion for teaching continued into her later years, and at 97 she was still tutoring newcomers to Canada and helping them learn English. Throughout her life, Sister Helen advocated for justice and people on the margins, supporting the underprivileged through community programs that reduced violence, promoted positive communication, and supported unhoused individuals.