St. Barbara School is pleased to welcome with open arms two new teachers this year. Sister Teresa-Faustina Vu is our middle school religion and math teacher, and Sister Marie-Thomas Bui is our second-grade teacher. Both are Dominican Sisters from Houston, TX who relocated to Orange County this past summer. No strangers to the Catholic education system, both have brought newfound energy and opportunities for faith formation to our campus. They have added enthusiasm and grace to the school, as well as tremendous knowledge of our Catholic faith that they share unselfishly with faculty, students, and parents.
The sisters quickly acclimated to the St. Barbara School community from the moment the school year started, embracing our motto of “Open Arms. Open Hearts. Open Minds.” They have opened their hearts to our students by leading them in our new liturgical choir, which allows students to share their musical talents with the school, as well as the parish community during our weekly school and monthly parish masses.
Sister Teresa-Faustina, a third-year Catholic educator, says “My hope is to help my students get excited about learning and make a personal connection with what they learn in school. My ultimate goal is to help them develop a personal relationship with God through all the events that happen in their lives and through what they are learning in school. I hope to help them become more engaged in the life of the Church and participate in the Sacraments, especially in the Mass.”
They have opened young minds by sharing their knowledge of the Catholic faith and vocations with our students. “The sisters offer the students an opportunity to see vocations in action on a daily basis,” says third-grade teacher Traci Tellers. Sister Marie Thomas is working diligently to prepare our students for their upcoming First Reconciliation and Holy Communion. Sister Teresa-Faustina has challenged our middle school students in the areas of math and religion. She has also taken on the task of preparing our students to be cantors, lectors, and altar servers for our school masses, allowing them to share their new skills in their own home parishes.
St. Barbara School is grateful to Bishop Vann and our pastor, Father Taun Pham for the opportunity to have the Dominican Sisters at our school.
Sister Teresa-Faustina says, “In general, the students here are well behaved and respectful. The parents are very supportive, and the teachers are friendly and helpful. It has been a great experience to get to know more about the students and their families.”
While Sister Teresa-Faustina and Sister Marie-Thomas continue to get settled into their new living and working environments, we at St. Barbara will continue to pray for their success and comfort, as well as look forward to growing with them professionally as well as in our faith.