Sister Mary Beatrice Cruz

Sister Mary Beatrice Cruz, from Beeville, Texas, attended Our lady of Victory School as a child, where she later served as principal and teacher as a Sister of the Incarnate Word. She had 30 years teaching experience and 24 years experience in school administratin in the dioceses of Brownsville and Corpus Christi deanery in 1981. Her school experience included serving at our Lady of Victory, Beeville; St. Rose of Lima, Benavides; Corpus Christi Cathedral; Sacred Heart, Corpus Christi; Immaculate Conception, Brownsville; and Incarnate Word Academy, Brownsville.

During her tenure in parish schools, she also taught CCD, directed choirs and music clubs, served on the staff of the Upward Bound program at Bee County College, and servec in Migrant Ministry in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Sr. Beatrice served as religious education director for St. Joseph Parish in Donna, Texas and then in the Diocese of Houston Religious Education program where she developed programs in Hispanic ministry. Currently she is serving in the Catholic Chaplain Corps at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, provided by the Galveston-Houston Diocese. "It is indeed a real blessing," she said, "to help create an environment in which patients are our companions on the journey, in which we can share the experience of God, find strength in the present, and gain hope in the future."

Sister Beatrice has been inspired again and again by the people who have come to M.D. Anderson seeking healing and leaving more faith-filled than before even when the physical healing has not been realized.

"I never knew how important our presence is," she continued. "It has such great power, not because of us, but because it is God's work. Life has become for me truly precious. Each person coming through is significant, special, and unique. They leave greatly imbedded footprints in my heart."

Sister Beatrice has made it a point to keep in touch with her Sisters in Corpus Christi, even while serving in Houston. She has been very active in congregational committees and commissions and brings participants for the Vocation retreats from Houston. She also visits the Houston CVI group on Bradford Street who has graciously given her a home away from home.