TexLaMex March 2007

Sr. Stephanie Brignac, native of Ville Platte, Louisiana, Sr. Stephanie Brignac, M.S.C. brings great educational experience to the San Juan Diego community. A Marianite of Holy Cross, Sr. Stephanie recalls when Bishop Gregory Aymond called her in 2002 to ask her to come and minister in Austin. At the time, she was serving as an elementary school principal in Eunice, Louisiana. After briefly visiting Austin for an interview, Sr. Stephanie recalls saying, "Let’s go for it! I was excited by the population we’d serve," she shares, "and I wanted to help families who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity for Catholic, college-preparatory education."

With a Bachelor of Arts in Math and a Master of Arts in Secondary Administration and Supervision, both from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in New Orleans, Sr. Stephanie serves as Assistant Principal at San Juan Diego, while teaching Algebra I, Algebra II and Pre-Calculus. She shares that she most enjoys "getting to know individual students, their talents and personalities, and knowing I have the challenge of building their skills and helping them prepare for college." Describing many of our students as quiet and shy, yet desirous of improving their lives through education, Sr. Stephanie well knows the challenge of helping students "express their motivation. If I can stir up that motivation," she says, "then there’s excitement. It’s like turning on a motor. And our students take off!" Outside the classroom, Sr. Stephanie enjoys sewing and needlework, tending her flower gardens, and being outdoors in nature.
---(picture and article from San Juan Diego)

Fr. John Korcsmar went to Notre Dame for the Romero Week. Fr. Bob Pelton had invited him to say the Mass at the Church of the Loretto at St. Mary's as part of the conference. There was a panel discussion by:

Judge Victoria Marina de Avilés
Supreme Court Justice, El Salvador

Neris Gonzalez
Witness, Florida Trial of Salvadoran Military

Douglass Cassel
Director, Center for Civil and Human Rights

John D. French
Associate Professor of History, Duke University

Chaired by
Karen Richman
Director, Migration and Border Studies, Institute for Latino Studies

Then there was the Mass at St. Mary's. Afterwards, there was a dinner at St. Mary's. John sat at the table with Sr. Pat Ann Thompson, CSC and Judge Victoria Marina de Aviles. Judge Victoria Marina de Aviles knew Archbishop Oscar Romero.


Sr. Pat Ann, Fr. Bob Belton, and Judge Victoria Marina de Aviles	John with Judge Victoria Marina de Aviles