This spring, for the first time in Neumann University’s 60-year history, there will not be a Sister of St. Francis of Philadelphia teaching full time on campus.
This milestone, which is both historic and emotional, centers around Sister Linda Sariego, longtime faculty member, advisor, mentor, and friend to many on campus.
While Sr. Linda will still be on as adjunct next semester, her new calling is with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Sister Linda’s life as a Sister of St. Francis began when she was only 17 years old. She entered the convent as a “teenager, still figuring things out,” as she put it, and believing she was meant to teach first grade, which she did.
From there she: Taught second grade; traveled to Puerto Rico for a year; moved through parishes across Philadelphia; worked with Hispanic community parishes preparing couples for marriage; and finally settled in at Neumann where she is a Spanish professor.
Being raised in a multilingual home, with English, Italian, and Spanish all being mixed together, languages came naturally to Sister Linda.
Originally, she wanted to become an interpreter for the United Nations or even and airline stewardess (until she found out she couldn’t wear glasses), but she always found her way back to ministry and teaching.
After finishing her doctorate, Sister Linda spoke with Rosalie Mirenda, president of Neumann University, in 2010, inquiring about Spanish teaching positions at Neumann. After a position had opened, Sister Linda began teaching full time.
“It feels so nice talking to her, like she’s a family member of my own,” said John Renning, a junior and advisee of Sr. Linda’s.
So where is Sister Linda going?
“It takes a village to breathe the church alive again,” she explained.
Under the leadership of Archbishop Nelson Pérez, Sr. Linda will be helping with a new initiative aiming to revitalize struggling parishes and support Hispanic communities.
“That just speaks to me. That, to me, is very Franciscan, but it’s just a new way of helping Jesus to be made known,” Sr. Linda said. Just as St. Francis of Assisi was called upon to rebuild the house of God, so is she.
For Sr. Pat Hutchinson, Interim Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Education, Sr. Linda’s impact is immeasurable.
While other Sisters like Sr. Kathy Dougherty, Sr. Mary Ann McCarthy, Sr. Maguerite O’Beirne, and Sr. Linda DeCero are active on campus “there’s a certain sadness, I wish that over the years, we had been able to encourage more sisters to teach here,” Sr. Pat said. “Sr. Linda was not a person who taught and then left. She was very present in a lot of activities, very supportive of students.”
Sr. Linda attended nearly every open house and multiple student activities throughout the year.
Sr. Pat added, “I think that her presence is going to be missed, not only in the classroom, but in all the other ways that she connected with faculty staff and students.”
“I can honestly say she is the most compassionate and understanding person. I feel incredibly lucky to have her as an advisor,” said Tyla Hunter, junior film and visual arts major.
While this may be her last full semester, you can still find Sister Linda on campus this coming spring semester. So, if you haven’t met this legendary professor, see that you do. For Sr. Linda, her days at Neumann are ending, but her work following the mission of the Sisters of St. Francis and Saint Francis of Assisi continues.
