Sister Mary John Slonkosky
Sister Mary John Slonkosky, OP, principal of St. Mary School in Oak Ridge since fall 2021, recently told the community that she is leaving for a new assignment at the motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation in Nashville.
She will be succeeded by Sister Catherine Marie Hopkins, OP, who has served as principal of St. Rose of Lima School in Murfreesboro for the past eight years.
Sister Mary John wrote a letter to the St. Mary Parish and School community after her new assignment was announced.
“As I reflect on the past four years as your principal, my heart is filled with gratitude and joy,” she said. “It has been an honor to serve this faith-filled community, and I am deeply thankful for the love and support I have received.
“Our students are the heart and soul of St. Mary’s School. Their enthusiasm, curiosity, love for learning, and love for Jesus have been a constant source of inspiration. Watching them grow, achieve, and embrace the faith and the values of our school has been one of the most rewarding experiences of being a principal in a Catholic school.”
Sister Mary John said she is “equally grateful for our dedicated teachers and staff.”
“Their unwavering commitment to nurturing and educating our students has been truly remarkable,” she said. “Their passion for teaching and their ability to create a supportive and engaging learning environment have made St. Mary’s a place where students thrive. The Christian witness of our teachers has profoundly impacted our students, instilling in them the values of faith, compassion, and integrity.”
She added that at St. Mary the staff is “privileged to bring the children to church so often throughout the week for Mass and prayer.”
Sister Catherine Marie Hopkins
Sister Mary John concluded by saying, “Thank you for making these past four years so memorable. I look forward to being a spiritual companion from the motherhouse on this journey together to heaven and witnessing the continued growth and success of St. Mary’s School through the Sisters. Know of my prayers for you all. See you in the Eucharist!”
Sister Catherine Marie is originally from upstate New York. She studied classical liberal arts at Thomas Aquinas College in California and finished her undergraduate work at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. She majored in English with certification in special education and elementary education. She completed a master of arts in theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio and a master of education in educational leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville.
After 10 years teaching in a wide variety of grade levels from primary to junior high to high school, she served as principal at St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School outside of Washington, D.C., and at Overbrook School in Nashville. She also served as the vocation director for the Dominican Sisters and worked in their initial formation program with the youngest Sisters.
Sister Catherine Marie served as director of advancement for Overbrook and St. Cecilia Academy, where she oversaw building projects, fundraising, alumni relations, and public relations.
“With over 40 years in the field of education, I come to you filled with the conviction that where Christ is at the heart and center of our lives, a wonderful unity forms that has a power like none other,” Sister Catherine Marie wrote in her greeting to the St. Mary community. “It is a power that brings together our families, our school, and our parish where together we live in the light of God’s love. I have heard wonderful things about St. Mary’s and look forward to meeting you all!”