Mission San Jose Dominicans
Transformed by the Gospel

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, CA - January 15, 2010--Flintridge Sacred Heart Priory has been a sacred gathering place for Dominican Sisters, laity, the people of Saint Bede’s parish and other Congregations for over 75 years.  In 1931, the Dominican Sisters purchased the former Flintridge Biltmore Hotel as a site for a new boarding school. Trusting in God to provide, three Sisters walked up the hill with a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a five dollar bill.  Since that day, thousands of young women have come up the hill to form community, pray, study and serve.

Sister Carolyn McCormack, OP serves as the Prioress of the community and President of the Academy. She says, “All Are Welcome could be the theme song for our ministry on the hill.
Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings of many Dominicans in the Los Angeles area are annual events.  Lay Dominicans and other Religious regularly come to Flintridge for retreats and days of reflection.” 

Sisters Carolyn and Jane Rudolph are actively involved in the Association of Women Religious and serve on the Coordinating Committee, whose goal is to gather all religious women of different congregations within the archdiocese of Los Angeles for prayer, study and collaboration.

Sister Celeste Marie is the Principal of the Academy and is responsible for the academic and co-curricular programs.  Her dedicated faculty of Sisters and lay colleagues provide leadership for this critical and important aspect of the school.  The mission statement highlights the school as a Dominican Catholic, college-preparatory school that “educates young women for a life of faith, integrity and truth.”  The young women at Flintridge and their families make Flintridge a special place that promotes the Dominican charism and values. 

Three other Sisters minister in the school.  Sister Barbara Hagel teaches Freshmen Algebra, Biology and Religion and oversees the school garden with Nancy Power. Sister Jane Rudolph teaches Religion and Sister Jennifer Ogorek teaches Digital Arts. The community is also actively involved in justice outreach, especially in the prisons. 

Sister Mary Sean Hodges works for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in the Office of Restorative Justice.  Sister Catherine Marie Bazar serves as chaplain at Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood and Sister Giulii Zobelein ministers in the Men’s Jail in Los Angeles.

Sister Jeanette De Young ministers as a Registered Nurse in poor parishes and to the homeless through Queens Care, a program that provides a free clinic for struggling families in the area.

Sister Eileen Hinsberger serves as a pastoral assistant at St. Robert Bellermine Church in Burbank and Sister Soledad Hernandez offers pastoral care for the workers on the backstretch at Santa Ana racetrack through a program funded by the California Thoroughbred Horseman’s Foundation. Community life at Flintridge is enriched by the diverse experiences the Sisters have in their daily ministries.

For the past fifty years, the community at Flintridge has enjoyed a positive collaborative relationship with the Franciscan Capuchins who staff Saint Francis High School just down the hill from the Priory.  The Capuchins come twice weekly to celebrate Eucharist with the Sisters and a small group of lay colleagues.  This friendship between the Dominican Sisters and Franciscan Friars is particularly highlighted on Dominican and Franciscan feast days---continuing the long tradition of friendship between the two Orders.

Flintridge Sacred Heart is also the southern home of Sister Marcia Krause, the Vocation Director for the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose.  Using Flintridge Sacred Heart as her base, Sister Marcia invites young women who are interested in learning about our Dominican life to join the Sisters for prayer, dinner and conversation. Through Sister Marcia and the Mission San Jose Vocation Team, Flintridge offers hospitality to all who are interested in religious life and discerning a vocation.

Donna Marie Moses, OP
Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose