By: Sister Antonia Teresa
My catholic school education was a great gift from God through the goodness and foresight of my parents. I was 8 years old when Holy Innocents School in Long Beach, California opened in 1958. It was going to be run and staffed by the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.
I was enrolled in the first third grade class. My teachers, the Sisters, instilled in us a great love of learning. They guided us and formed us in our faith and love of God and neighbor, and also, how to be “motivated” students. They created in us a “culture of learning for life”. We were treated with kindness and consistency and encouraged to always do our best. The Sisters formed us to be good students and gave us the tools of outstanding “study habits.” I owe my future success in high school, college, and later graduate degree programs to them. I can only say that having a Catholic school education is an “advantage for life”. I thank God every day for the opportunities I received from their formation. They inspired me so much that I later decided to join them in the Carmelite Community. My vocation to be a religious in the Church was their greatest gift to me.
