We are blessed to have the presence of Sisters at San Miguel High School.
The historic and active San Xavier Mission is a quick 10 minute drive from San Miguel High School. Over the years, Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity will often send Sisters there for their mission work.
She has been in Tucson since 2015 and 2022 marks her 7th year at San Miguel High School.
Sister reflects that upon completing time of ministry with the immigrants and refugees in McAllen, TX, she went to the San Xavier Mission Convent in Tucson and worked with Casa Alitas and at the Mission.
It was there she met Kenenna Amuzie, a Lasallian Volunteer at the time who worked at SMHS and who invited her to participate in "El Otro Lado'' at the school. In 2015 there was an opening for a theology teacher. Being a teacher by profession, she applied, and it is a great fit. The Lasallian Spirituality and Franciscan Spirituality are closely linked.
Sister Mary Ann Spanjers, a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity, is blessed to be the daughter of Dutch immigrant parents, Tony (deceased) and Dora Spanjers, grew up with her three sisters in Mackville, WI and graduated from Xavier High School in 1977.
During her high school years at Xavier, Sister Mary Ann was part of the Drama Club, participated in track and field sports and enjoyed going to the football and basketball games. She also was part of the work/study program.
Upon graduation, Sister Mary Ann professed her vows as a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity and obtained a BA in Elementary Education and Religious Studies from Silver Lake College of the Holy Family, Manitowoc, WI. She later went on to get a MA in Theology and Religious Studies from St. John’s University, NYC.
To date, Sister Mary Ann has lived a life of service all over the world. She has had the opportunity of ministry and community life in Catholic schools in Petoskey, MI, Hilbert, WI, and Yuma, AZ. She had the unique opportunity of ten years of missionary work in Lima, Peru and Andes mountain villages in the region of Otuzco, Peru. She served as Vocation Director of her Franciscan congregation, has done adjunct teaching at Silver Lake College of the Holy Family, bi-lingual teaching for the Diocese of Green Bay and Parish ministry for St. Francis Parish, Manitowoc, WI. In addition, Sister Mary Ann has been reaching out to immigrants and refugees ministering with Catholic Charities near the Mexican border in McAllen, TX and Tucson, AZ.
She relates that teaching young people and adults, especially from the Hispanic community, continues to educate her about the challenges of immigrants in the United States at this time. Sister Mary Ann is currently teaching theology at San Miguel Cristo Rey High School in Tucson, AZ.
Sister Mary Ann views her ministry as an opportunity to walk with teens and young adults and is delighted to do so. She helped coordinate La Mision Catolica in the Andes Mountains of Peru. She and her college students (she was teaching at Champagnat University) integrated with the people of the mountain villages to form small Christian communities of catechesis for a number of weeks every summer. They began with five villages and the program today has over 30 villages participating in the Catholic Mission! Sister Mary Ann also spent weekends, during her years in Yuma, AZ, going to Tijuana, Mexico ministering to the poor in collaboration with the Missionaries of Charity and the local parish. She was also graced with an unexpected personal encounter with Mother Theresa of Calcutta during a weekend mission in Tijuana.
For her work in Peru, especially with economically poor state school students, Sister Mary Ann has received several service awards. Sister Mary Ann says that her heart, prayer and energy as a Sister and teacher is directed toward serving others and bringing out the best in them, as Jesus’ love so clearly calls us to do.
We can’t leave without knowing our final, burning questions:
Favorite Foods?
My favorite foods, popcorn, Mexican and cake and ice cream
Hobbies?
She is an avid bicyclist and swimmer, and is a big fan of the Green Bay Packers!