Joan Connelly, the director of mission and ministry at the Academy of the Holy Angels, will retire July 1, 2024. When she began her tenure at AHA 28 years ago, Connelly was a religious studies teacher. She later took on the role of mission integration coordinator and ultimately served as departmental director (2019-24).
“Several core ideals that are part of the SSND charism attracted me to AHA,” Connelly said. “Specifically, I am referring to seeking unity, educating girls, and maintaining a global vision These ideals were ones that were important to me. Over the years, they have become even more precious. They have become a framework for my ministry.
“When I first arrived at AHA, we had a prayer service containing words from John’s Gospel, Chapter 17, Jesus’ prayer for unity. I knew I was where I was supposed to be. This was the same gospel passage my husband Tom and I chose for our wedding ceremony.”
Connelly’s many responsibilities included untold hours of work planning for nine Awareness Day observances for students, organizing Retreat Days for staff, leading new faculty orientation sessions, planning School Sisters of Notre Dame Foundation Day festivities, and writing countless prayers for every occasion. She was a chaperone for many visits to the United Nations, service trips, Mission Awareness Process journeys to the Mexican border, and trips to Philadelphia and West Virginia.
She was a driving force within the AHA Sunshine Club, a social group that hosts get-togethers, including Friendsgiving, and sends birthday greetings to everyone in the school community. She also successfully obtained her commercial driver’s license so she would be eligible to drive students to various service destinations.
Connelly earned her B.S. in Human Services at the University of Scranton. She also received a master’s in religious education with a concentration in youth ministry from La Salle University. Prior to joining the staff at AHA, Connelly was a parish youth minister, taught religion at Hudson Catholic High School, and directed youth retreats at Xavier Center.
Over time, Connelly has shepherded the AHA community through several challenging world events, always responding with opportunities for discussion and edification. Connelly helped launch the campus-wide dialogue rooms and spearheaded AHA’s initial diversity, equity, and inclusion training.
Connelly said many School Sisters of Notre Dame have provided their support, love, and guidance during her time at AHA. In 2019, Connelly took the SSND Heritage Pilgrimage to Neunberg vorm Wald, Bavaria, Germany, where SSND Foundress Blessed Mother Theresa Gerhardinger of Jesus lived. Throughout her tour, Connelly kept a journal. This is the entry she wrote after visiting Mother Theresa’s room in the first SSND convent:
“The sisters were so joyful…Being in Mother Theresa’s bedroom was a very powerful experience. I will remember being able to pray at her prie-dieu. Here in Neunberg, there was another beautiful garden. We prayed in the chapel and sang ‘God’s Cause.’”
Notably, “God’s Cause” was sung on October 2, 2017, when AHA’s Sister Genevieve Kelleher Hall was dedicated. Once a convent for the School Sisters, Kelleher Hall ultimately housed Connelly’s office during her last seven years of service.
