60th First Profession
Sister Barbara Gerace
Birth name: Barbara Ann Gerace
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Entrance: 1959
First profession: 1964
Final profession: 1970
Education: Studied theology, sacred Scripture, English literature, Church history, English writing and speech at St. Paul House of Studies
Service in the archdiocese: Evangelization and St. Paul Book and Film Center, 1973
Pauline Books and Media Center, 2020-present
Service outside the archdiocese: Mission of evangelization in Boston; New York; Cleveland; Miami; Oakland, California; San Francisco; Cincinnati; San Diego; Bridgeport; Charleston, South Carolina; Rome, Italy; Chicago; and Philadelphia, 1965-2012
About Sister Barbara Gerace: From my early years my desire in life was to become a religious sister and tell everyone about Jesus. This prayer came true when I entered the Daughters of St. Paul in 1959. Our missionary congregation brings the Gospel message to souls through the most modern means of social communication through editions covering Catholic and Christian topics (the creed, prayer life, catechetics, sacraments, liturgy). My early years in the convent consisted of spiritual, theological and formational studies in preparation for first vows and final vows in 1970, along with apostolic experience visiting parishes and making home visitations. I am happy to be stationed again in St. Louis for a second time since the 1970s. I enjoy greeting those who visit our Pauline Book and Media Center here in Crestwood. I love to pray, meditate, read, sew by hand, make the sisters laugh about my past experiences, and I have been known to spontaneously break out into song in rhyme form. As I approach my 80th birthday and continue to celebrate my 60th anniversary of religious vows, I thank God for my family upbringing, those who prepared me in religious life for the vows I have promised and hope to continue to carry out God's will in my life.
