“Sr. Brendan is the epitome of living and breathing our mission. Her wisdom, grace, and care is truly appreciated Academy-wide. We are blessed to have such a gem in our midst.” – Dr. Tabia N. Jones, President/CEO of St. Joseph Academy

In honor of Catholic Sisters Week (March 8-14, 2020), we wanted to spotlight the Sisters we have on staff at St. Joseph Academy. Meet Sr. Mary Brendan Bogdan, who has been at St. Joseph Academy for 15 years and previously, served as a board member for 12 years. She has been a Felician Sister for 56 years.

What ministries have you been at and what was your role(s) there?

1967 – 1977
SS. Peter & Paul School, Chicago, IL – 3rd grade teacher (2 years) and 7th/8th grade math/science teacher (8 years)
1977 – 1981
St. Isidore School, Blue Island, IL – Principal (4 years)
1981 – 1993
St. Linus School, Oak Lawn, IL – Principal (12 years)
1993 – 2005
Felician Sisters in Chicago, IL – Leadership Team (12 years)
2005 – present
St. Joseph Academy, Milwaukee, WI – Administrator/Mission Leader (15 years)

Why did you decide to become a Sister?

I felt that God was calling me to become a Sister since second grade. Felician Sisters taught me in elementary and high school. At 14 years of age, I volunteered at St. Anne’s Hospital in Chicago on Saturdays and I worked with the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, another religious community of women. It was there that I realized that I wanted to be a teacher and not a nurse. When I graduated from high school in 1964 at 18 years of age, I worked at a factory during the summer months and in the fall, I joined the Felician Sisters.

What do you enjoy most about being a Sister?

I enjoy being a member of diverse, dedicated, and dynamic group of women who are concerned about the well-being of others and want to make a positive difference in the world. I also appreciate the opportunities for prayer and our simple lifestyle. I am grateful that we have five Felician Sisters serving St. Joseph Academy.