The Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary – Eastern American Area selected a new area leader and councilors effective August 1, 2024.
Sister Maria Timoney, RSHM, was inducted as the new leader at the close of the area’s three-day gathering in July. Sister Maria trained as a teacher and worked at St. Bridget’s School in Virginia followed by several years in the Marymount College Admissions Office in Tarrytown, New York. She was then missioned to the Appalachian region of Virginia in 1979. She was involved with community development, community organizing and advocacy, and served as a legal intern with Legal Services of Southwest Virginia. She returned to New York in 1988 to attend CUNY Law School, Queens College. Upon completing her law degree, she returned to Wytheville, Virginia and worked as an attorney for the Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society. In 2019 she returned to New York when she was asked to join the Eastern American Area’s leadership team as a councilor. She served in this role until a new council was elected in 2021. She continued to do legal work for the Eastern American Area and its ministries until her recent appointment as Area Leader.
Also inducted were two area councilors, Sister Catherine Vincie, RSHM, and Sister Margaret Hoyne, RSHM. Sister Catherine served as a councilor for the past nine years and played a central role in the renovation of the Butler Memorial Chapel in Marymount Convent. She received a PhD in Liturgical Theology from the Catholic University of America and taught liturgical theology in several graduate schools. From 1995 to 2015 she served as a Professor of Liturgical and Sacramental Theology at the Aquinas Institute of Theology and Ministry in St. Louis. A frequent lecturer, she has written several books, articles, and book chapters about Christian initiation, Eucharist, and liturgy and justice.
With an MS degree in Education from St. John’s University, Sister Margaret served as both teacher and administrator at several schools over 36 years, including St. Pius X in Rosedale, NY, St. Andrew’s in Sag Harbor, NY, St. Catharine of Alexandria in Brooklyn, NY, GoodShepherd in St. Louis, MO, and Marymount International School in Paris, France. In 2005 she joined the staff of the RSHM LIFEC enter in Sleepy Hollow, NY, and became Convent Coordinator in2015. In 2023 she began a new ministry at Cormaria Retreat Center in Sag Harbor until asked to join the new Eastern American Arealeadership team.
We are grateful to the previous council, Sister Rosamond Blanchet, Area Leader, and Councilors Sisters Susan Gardella and Catherine Vincie for their leadership and service. Sister Rosamond will be moving to Cormaria Retreat Center and Sister Susan is returning to her position as Director of the RSHM LIFE Center in Sleepy Hollow.