Jean Fredricks
Stratford, Connecticut
“The sisters and I have the unique opportunity to foster Mother Theresa’s charism that ‘all will be one’”
-Jean Fredricks
For Jean Fredricks, of Stratford, Conn., her first connection to SSND was through Sister Pat Wachter, then director of religious education at Jean’s local parish, who told her of a nursing position at Villa Notre Dame in Wilton, Conn. Jean subsequently spent seven years at VND caring for the sisters living there.
“It was while working there that I heard about the Associate Program and knew it was something I wanted in my life,” she said.
She and her husband, Lance, have been SSND associates for more than 20 years. “It has been a wonderful time to grow in our spiritual and prayer life,” Jen said.
After returning to school to study early childhood education and working at a small center for several years, Jean began teaching pre-K children at Caroline House, an SSND-sponsored institution offering classes in English and social skills to poor, mostly Hispanic women and their children in Bridgeport, Conn.
“I fell in love with the children and felt it was truly the work that I should be doing,” she said. “The sisters and I have the unique opportunity to foster Mother Theresa’s charism that ‘all will be one’”
“We spend our days with a very diverse group of women and children, many of whom would never spend time with one another without Caroline House. Everyone there soon realizes we are all equal, truly creations of God.”
