Sr. Mary Noel Pereira, RSM, named school principal in Lake Charles, La.

The Diocese of Lake Charles

The Diocese of Lake Charles Office of Catholic Schools has appointed a former Diocese of Knoxville youth ministry leader as the new principal for Immaculate Conception Cathedral School in Lake Charles, La.

Sister Mary Noel Pereira, RSM, a member of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Mich., was recommended to Father Rommel Tolentino by a search committee.

Sister Mary Noel, whose undergraduate studies were in theology and psychology at the University of Notre Dame, has been active in campus ministry and worked as a mentor-in-faith for Notre Dame Vision, a series of faith-based conferences for high school students. Sister Mary Noel also completed her master’s degree in theology at Notre Dame.

Most recently, Sister Mary Noel helped lead young adult ministry in the Diocese of Knoxville Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. She led various parish young adult groups, helped restructure the diocesan young adult group, and led young adult ministry leadership formation.

Fluent in Spanish, she assisted in Pastoral Juvenil Hispana in Knoxville. While working at the Chancery for the Diocese of Knoxville, Sister Mary Noel met the Religious Sisters of Mercy. She discerned a call with their community and entered the Religious Sisters of Mercy in 2019. She has completed one year of postulancy, and this month completes her canonical novitiate.

The Sisters serve in the medical field, education, administration, and behavioral health, and they take a vow of service to the poor, sick, and ignorant along with vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

The Religious Sisters of Mercy have been serving in the Diocese of Lake Charles since 2014 in various diocesan and school positions at the invitation of Bishop Glen John Provost. The Sisters say they have been privileged to witness the beautiful faith of the people in the diocese and look forward to expanding their mission through the apostolic service of Sister Mary Noel.

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