Celebrating Our Jubilarians: S. Annette Marie Paveglio

Sister of Charity of Cincinnati Annette Marie Paveglio celebrates 60 years of religious life in 2021.

Born Gail Paveglio to Peter H. and Annette Toscana, Sister Annette Marie attended St. Helen Grade School and St. Andrew High School in Saginaw, Michigan. It was during those elementary years that Sister became attracted to religious life, having been taught by many Sisters of Charity and remaining in contact with them throughout her high school years. Following graduation in 1961, Sister Annette Marie entered the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.

Sister earned her bachelor’s degree in education from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1969, and her master’s degree in education from Xavier University, also in Cincinnati, in 1976.

“I sent 40 years of my religious life in the ministry of Catholic education and they were my most enjoyable and rewarding years in ministry,” Sister Annette Marie reflected.

Sister began her education ministry as an intermediate teacher at Holy Redeemer School in Kensington, Maryland, in 1965. From 1971-’75, she taught at St. Mel School in Cleveland, Ohio. Later, in 1975, Sister Annette Marie ministered at St. William School in Cincinnati, where she was promoted to principal in 1976, remaining in the position for the next eight years.

In 1986, Sister became the principal at the Mount Campus School, formally located at Seton Hall at the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse in Delhi Township. The school closed the following school year.

In 1987, Sister Annette Marie served as an instructor of teacher education at the College of Mount St. Joseph. She became the pastoral associate at Sts. Peter and Paul in Cincinnati in 1992, and two years later, in 1994, Sister returned to education as principal at St. Helen School in Dayton, Ohio, until 2003.

Looking back at her years as principal and pastoral minister, Sister Annette Marie said, “It was a pleasure working with so many dedicated teachers and pastoral staff members in the parishes. There were, needless to say, many challenges, from how to meet the varied needs of so many students to how to continue to enrich the lives of children growing up in our society/world today, and how to provide the kind of leadership for teachers and parents.”

Sister Annette Marie became the director of the Sisters of Charity Spirituality Center, located at the Mount St. Joseph Motherhouse, in May 2004. Under her direction the Spirituality Center offered numerous opportunities for spiritual growth to not only the Sisters in residence but to the broader community of Cincinnati and beyond. She retired from this position on June 30, 2015. “I found myself enriched in so many ways by those with whom I came in contact and shared prayer, discussion and Eucharist,” she wrote. “It was a ministry that allowed me to utilize my administrative skills while integrating my spirituality.”

Since her retirement Sister Annette has remained involved in serving on Seton High School’s board and the Sisters of Charity Corporation Board for Sponsored Ministries. She volunteers at DePaul Cristo Rey High School (a Sisters of Charity sponsored ministry), in Mother Margaret Hall in ministry to the Sisters, as well as assists with transportation for immigrant families and various other service opportunities as needed.