Published in the August 2024 Issue of The Watermark Retirement Communities Newsletter
Sister Eileen Denny was born in Norwalk, CT, the oldest of three children. When Sister Eileen Denny was ten, she converted to Catholicism and fell in love with God.
Sister Eileen did not like school but loved sports. By 14, she knew she wanted to be a Sister. The Sisters she knew were the Mercy Sisters who taught her religion and with whom she later taught CCD.
She met the SSND at a one-day event. She experienced their charism of unity, and that made all the difference.
In September 1965, Sister Eileen entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Wilton, CT. After her formation period she went out to teach as Sister Patrick Marie.
She taught elementary school for 18 years. For 8 of those years, she lived in a charismatic house of prayer with lay women and Sisters of different congregations.
Then, Sister Eileen spent three years serving the SSND Generalate in Rome.
When she returned to the States, she taught for 24 more years and served 2 years in pastoral care of Sisters in our health care center, during which they transitioned to Ozanam Hall in Bayside, N.Y.
In 2016, Sister Eileen retired from teaching school and began teaching English as a Second Language to immigrant women at Caroline House in Bridgeport, CT.
Now at The Watermark, Sister Eileen says, "We are are wonderful community within a wonderful community."