A Day in the Life...S. Katharine Pinto

Where do you live and serve?
I live at Bayley House (located at Mount
St. Joseph) in Cincinnati with two other Sisters of Charity. My ministry is at Lower Price Hill Community School (LPHCS).

Please give a brief description of your ministry:
LPHCS is an adult learning center in a poor area of Cincinnati that offers GED classes, English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classes, and entry-level college classes through Cincinnati State. We also provide many other services, including a thrift store, a food pantry, community outreach with supper club, some legal services, etc. My main ministry there is working with the ESOL students who come from a variety of countries and speak a variety of languages.

How long have you been at Lower Price Hill?
I’ve been working at LPHCS for six years now.

When does your day begin?
I get up at 4:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Wow, what are your morning rituals?
After I get up, shower, get dressed, I eat breakfast and pack my lunch for school. Then I take time for personal prayer and then prayer with the other Sisters with whom I live. Following prayer time I go for a 30-40 minute walk to get some exercise and continue conversing with God and planning my day. After my walk I head to Mass and from there I go to LPHCS.

So, what does a normal day in your ministry look like?
When I arrived I read and answered e-mails; collected some items for recycling; conferred with colleagues about one of my students who also is interested in obtaining her GED; taught English classes in the morning and the afternoon; registered new students (new students seem to arrive each week); returned phone calls; helped facilitate and interpret for students so they could obtain food baskets and gifts for their families for Christmas; assisted students in procuring bus tokens (since a new rule in Ohio recently took away their license plates); and helped wrap gifts for some of the Christmas baskets.

Was this a typical day or out of the ordinary?
In many ways it was typical, but each day always brings different needs. Gift wrapping and Christmas baskets are, of course, seasonal.

How do you carry out the spirit of Elizabeth Seton in your daily ministry?
The spirit of Elizabeth Seton is alive as I strive to educate the underserved and make them feel welcome in our city and in this country.

What time do you usually return home in the evening?
The school day ends at 3 p.m. for me, so when I have finished preparing lessons for the next day I usually head home.

How did you spend your evening?
It was my turn to cook dinner today and so after school I prepared the meal. When dinner was over and we were finished with the dishes, we watched the news on TV. I also made fudge to give as gifts to my colleagues at work. I also spent some time reading and making phone calls.

How did you pray?
I mentioned earlier about my morning prayer, and then throughout the day there were recognitions and reminders of God’s presence. At the end of the day, together with God, I reviewed my day.

Did you spend time with other Sisters of Charity or Associates?
I prayed with, ate with, talked with, and watched news with the other Sisters with whom I live. I met some other Sisters in my comings and goings around the Mount, and I talked to a couple of Sisters on the phone.

 

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