Our Mission
Mission Statement
With the help of God and in union with women in the struggle for justice, we, the women of Centro Santa Catalina Desire:
-To present an education to ourselves, other women and the children in the Colonia, in order to grow in a community of faith and hope; to offer to the women of the Center the Word and Spirit of God;
-To have the opportunity to grow in our skills and provide money for our families
-In solidarity with our fundamental values to achieve a better future in our continued struggle.
Our Values
Our fundamental values are: respect, love, friendship, confidence, justice, peace, moral security, community, and fraternal love with persons of different cultures.
Our Patron Saint
Our Center, Centro de Santa Catalina, is named after St. Catherine of Siena who was a lay Dominican woman in 1366. She is perhaps the best known mystic of the fourteenth century. Her name is very relevant to our Center since she devoted herself to the sick and poor of Siena. She was a mystic who experienced visions. As a young girl, the visions she had showed her the need to go out into the world and help her neighbors out of love for God. in 1939 she was declared the patron saint of Italy. In 1970 she was given the title of Doctor of the Church, a title that very few women hold. We also chose her as our patron saint because she exemplified the strength of women to have a voice in society.
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How Our Mission Takes Shape
This article was published in the July/August 2018 issue of the Maryknoll Magazine. Thank you to Maryknoll for granting us permission to use it on this website.
Sandra Labrado, member of the co op with Sr. Maureen at Centro Santa Catalina
Yessica Lara, Lilia Rodriguez, Gloria Yanez and Sr. Terri Rodela at a sale of the co op products in El Paso.
Sisters Fran and Maureen with the children at a Christmas party at the Center in Juarez, MX
Sr. Fran with a group of tutors
A group of women at the center who organized a celebration for Sr. Maureen at the 60th anniversary of her
A group of women from the co op with Sr. Maureen and Sr. Rita.
Sr. Fran and the women in her English class.
Sr. Maureen Gallagher with a group of women who work in the Co Op.
Sandra Labrado and Jessica Lara with Sr.Maureen and Sr.Rita at a sale.
Rosa Elida Villela, Director at the Center and Sr. Maureen at the Dominican Mother House in Adrian, Michigan
Sr. Fran and her students celebrating a birthday for one of the students.
Sr. Maureen and members of the board celebrating her 80th birthday.
Selling produnts at the Christmas Fair at the Civic Center in El Paso
Viridiana Ibarra ironing products before packaging
Board members celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Clancy
Videos
Thanking those who have supported the center all these years
Going away for Sr. Fran, thanking her for all her support
The children recreate the death and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Program for the end of the school year