Sister Una Murphy, PBVM teaches Religion at St. Martin dePorres Elementary School (Oakland, California) along with parish Religious Education and visitation of the homebound.
Sister Rosemary, O'Sullivan, PBVM teaches second grade at St. Lawrence O'Toole School in Oakland. Sister Rosemary also ministers in the Parish Sacramental Program. The school serves a community consisting largely of working class people. It represents the rich cultureal diversity of Oakland.
Sister Teresa Deasy, PBVM teaches Religion at St. Martin dePorres Middle School, which servesapproximately 160 students whose background is African-American, Hispanic, with a small percentage of Asian. Sister Teresa is also inministry at St. Patrick's Parish.
LOCAL PRESENTATION SISTERS HISTORY:
The Presentation Sisters reside in the West Oakland area, which is mostly populated by disadvantaged African-American and Hispanic people. A high percentage are unemployed and struggle to cope with the effects of drug addiction and related crimes. In fact, it would be hard to find a family that is not, in some way, connected with a person in jail or a victim of violence. Family life is disrupted by the effects of these issues. Grandparents are often the sole caregivers of several children. The children's lives demonstrate the tragic results of the insecurity that is rife in the community.
In the future, we see personal contact and pastoral care for individuals and groups of children and carers through: counseling and concerned listening, caring contact, spiritual guidance and support, and practical help. This would continue through working within the schools, home visitation, and parish gatherings. This would continue through working within the school, home visitation, and parish gatherings.