A Senate Resolution s4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A SENATE RESOLUTION 10 11 TO RECOGNIZE THE NUMEROUS AND SIGNIFICANT 12 CONTRIBUTIONS OF SISTER CHRISTINA MURPHY OF ST. 13 JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN COLUMBIA, SOUTH 14 CAROLINA UPON HER DEPARTURE FROM SCHOOL 15 ADMINISTRATION AND TO WISH HER THE VERY BEST 16 OF HEALTH AND HAPPINESS AS SHE CONTINUES HER 17 MINISTRY TO THOSE NEEDING COMFORT. 18 19 Whereas, Sister Christina Murphy was born and raised in Drexel 20 Hill, Pennsylvania; and 21 22 Whereas, Sister Christina attended Saint Bernadette Elementary 23 School and Notre Dame High School, whereafter she entered the 24 convent and was pronounced a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur 25 (SND); and 26 27 Whereas Sister Christina received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 28 Education from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. and her 29 Masters degree with a specialty in Reading from Appalachian 30 State University in Boone, North Carolina; and 31 32 Whereas, Sister Christina’s first mission was Saint Anthony’s 33 School in Florence, South Carolina where she taught primary 34 grades; and 35 36 Whereas, Sister Christina was then reassigned to St. Martin’s in 37 Washington, D.C. where she again taught primary grades and also 38 served as Director of Religious Education; and 39 40 Whereas, Sister Christina returned to Saint Anthony’s in Florence, 41 South Carolina as Principal for thirteen years. While there, 42 students at this school excelled and St. Anthony’s was one of the

1 [1151] 1 1 first “open classroom” schools in the Diocese of Charleston to be 2 successful; and 3 4 Whereas, in 1989 Sister Christina returned to Columbia to serve as 5 Principal of St. Joseph School; and 6 7 Whereas, in her fifteen years as Principal of St. Joseph School, 8 Sister Christina has helped make the school a place of academic 9 excellence and spiritual development; and 10 11 Whereas, during her tenure at St. Joseph School, computers have 12 been placed in every classroom in addition to the development of a 13 computer lab, a four-year old kindergarten, and a Spanish foreign 14 language program; and 15 16 Whereas, one of Sister Christina’s most successful ideas has been 17 the concept of a Total School Community Service Program which 18 is implemented on a monthly basis. Through this program, the 19 students have been able to help the Animal Mission, the St. 20 Vincent de Paul Society, Sistercare, Birthright, Catholic Charities, 21 the Woodyard Fund, and many others. The students have also 22 collected “Change for Chores” to benefit the Red Cross, School 23 Supplies for the Bantu children, and videos for Children’s 24 Hospital; and 25 26 Whereas, in 1994 Sister Christina was quoted in an article in the 27 “Catholic Miscellany” as saying “Focusing on the needs of others 28 teaches children to look beyond their own comfortable lifestyles 29 and put their Christian faith into action”; and 30 31 Whereas, throughout the past fifteen years, Sister Christina has 32 opened up St. Joseph School to the community and has brought 33 various programs to the students including the Guinness Book of 34 World Records - World’s Largest Rubber Band Ball, Safe Kids 35 Program sponsored by S.C. Law Enforcement, Character 36 Education programs, The Traveling Planetarium, Story Tellers 37 through the Library in celebration of Black History month, 38 Nutrition Day sponsored by the American Culinary Federation - 39 Midlands Chapter, and many others; and 40 41 Whereas, Sister Christina has ministered to countless individuals 42 in various situations whether it be a child missing a parent, a 43 parent in need of guidance, a family grieving the loss of a loved

1 [1151] 2 1 one, a faculty member with a personal problem, the sick, or the 2 homebound; and 3 4 Whereas, at the end of this academic year, Sister Christina will be 5 leaving St. Joseph School and departing from school 6 administration after twenty-eight years; and 7 8 Whereas, Sister Christina will devote herself to a new ministry - 9 visiting and comforting the sick in hospitals and ministering to 10 women in prison; and 11 12 Whereas, Sister Christina Murphy is the only Sister of Notre Dame 13 de Namur working in South Carolina. Now, therefore, 14 15 Be it resolved by the Senate: 16 17 That the members of the Senate, by this resolution, recognize the 18 numerous and significant contributions of Sister Christina Murphy 19 of St. Joseph Catholic School in Columbia, South Carolina upon 20 her departure from school administration and wish her the very 21 best of health and happiness as she continues her ministry to those 22 needing comfort. 23 24 Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to 25 Sister Christina Murphy and St. Joseph School. 26 ----XX---- 27

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