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Sister Jacinta Benavidez Sister Jacinta Benavidez, a native of Houston, Texas, recently moved to Cleveland, OH answering a call, within a call. As a perpetually professed member of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament of Victoria, TX, for over 25 years, Sr. Jacinta heard the call to journey on in the spirit of faith and trust. "God was calling and it was for me to follow that call though I was not sure where it would take me." Sister comes to us with a wealth of experiences in areas of, Education, Director of Vocations, Director of Religious Education, Early Child Development and Health Care Ministry. Sister Jacinta is blessed to have her parents, big brother and two younger sisters. "Blessed are the poor in spirit" is the Beatitude that has spoken to me from a very early age and up to the present. Though as I child my family had very little, I was always a very happy child because I had all I needed, LOVE. When LOVE is present, so is the spirit of God's strength and courage that enabled me "to accept the things I could not change, courage to change the things I could and wisdom to know the difference." To this very day, I still find comfort and joy in this Beatitude and I have made it a point to live it in my everyday life. It is the attitude in which I look at life, accept it as it is, love it, and allow God to do what is needed." ~ Sister Jacinta Benavidez Sister Rosemarie Burke A native of Cleveland, Sister Rosemarie Burke, has taught kindergarten through 7th grade in various schools in the Cleveland Diocese since entering our convent in September 1962 at the age of 18; she made her perpetual profession of vows in August 1968. Sister has served our community as Councilor, Lector, Eucharistic Minister and as Formation and Vocation Director. Before being re-elected to the Leadership Team in 2007, she was a full-time teacher at Incarnate Word Academy. "I feel like I am the most blessed because of all the experiences that I have had. As I look back on my life, I am filled with deep gratitude and awe at what can be accomplished in a life when one says yes to God...As a vowed member of this community, I share in prayer, community life, and our charism to extend the Incarnation, and to love and teach others to love...The Beatitude that I would like to be remembered by is 'Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.' God has been merciful to me and teaches me mercy in Scripture, prayer, Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation." ~ Sister Rosemarie Burke Sister Elaine Theresa Burrows A Cleveland native, Sister Elaine Theresa Burrows has been with our community since 1955 and made her first vows in 1958. She taught 3rd through 8th grade as well as PSR for many years. She currently serves as a pastoral minister at St. Thomas More Parish in Brooklyn, Ohio. Sister is also involved in a prison ministry and is a volunteer pastoral care aide at Parma Community General Hospital. "As a young girl, I was always drawn to helping others and bringing people to know and love Christ. Being a Sister has helped me to see what really matters in life. The Beatitude I have lived all my life, because my parents taught me, was to be merciful. Let God do the judging." ~ Sister Elaine Theresa Burrows Sister Elizabeth Cooper Sister Elizabeth Cooper was born in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland. She joined our community in 1960 and made her first vows in 1965. She currently serves as a 5th grade teacher at Incarnate Word Academy. Her former ministries include assistant principal, treasurer, PSR teacher, tutor, and volunteer for the Camp for the Blind. "I came from Ireland...to devote my life to prayer and a teaching career. It has been a beautiful journey of continuous growth in my faith and love of God...a life-long process of being formed and reformed in Jesus, the Word of God. I am nurtured daily through my commitment to Mass and prayer to extend His Incarnation and make His presence known to all those with whom I come in contact." ~ Sister Elizabeth Cooper Sister Catherine Fitzgerald Sister Catherine Fitzgerald responded to God's call to religious life in 1949, when she left her home in County Limerick, Ireland. She made her first vows in 1952 and final vows in 1956. Sister Francis Xavier was her formation director. She reminded her of Siant Theresa who said, "There is but one road that reaches God and that is prayer. If anyone shows you another, you are being deceived." Raised by her parents in a faith-filled atmosphere, she was preceded by her two sisters into the community. She attributes these elements as an influencing factor in following her vocational call to Cleveland as a Sister of the Incarnate Word. Sister Catherine's ministries have included teaching at many parish elementary schools, P.S.R. instructor, elementary tutor, and Eucharistic Minister to the local hospital and homebound. Today, she continues her ministry at Incarnate Word Academy as a part-time faculty member and Altar Server Instructor. "Sister would like to be remembered by the Beatitude, Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness, they shall be satisfied. " ~ Sister Catherine Fitzgerald

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