Age 94
Committed to the philosophy that every student deserves the best Catholic education possible; Sister Mary Paulina reinforced this Gospel message in her 50 years as an educator and school administrator.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Sister Paulina was taught by the Sisters of Mercy at Bishop Conaty Catholic Girls’ High School in the same city. She entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame, California, at the age of 21.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Russell College in San Francisco, California, then began a ministry of over 20 years teaching elementary school in the Bay Area, Oakland, Mountain View, and Santa Fe Springs, all in California. She also served as principal for six years at St. Pius X in Santa Fe Springs, and for four years at St. Anthony’s in Oakland, California. At St. Stephens in San Francisco, she signed up for a four-year-commitment as principal and ended up staying 18 years.
During this time, she was instrumental in building a new wing; establishing a kindergarten; starting an after-school program and adopting a modular classroom concept. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the legislative body in the city, even proclaimed a day in her honor on June 1, 2002.
Following her retirement, she served as school librarian at St. Peter’s School in the Mission District of San Francisco for 19 years. During her tenure, the library was re-invented with an expanded collection of new books and an ongoing invitation to read for fun. She lived her motto “Abide in Him” and cherished her friendships nurtured in prayer and in gatherings.