15 / 16
Since a young age,
Sister
KatieMcGrail, OP, has had a strong
calling to spread the word of God.
And her vocation and passion have
taken her to places around the
world—to teach, learn, and serve.
Earlyyearnings
Sr. Katie was born to a loving Irish
Catholic family in Detroit, Michigan.
“My parents were very active in the
church,” she says. “In fact, they were
part of the founding of an Adrian
Dominican parish in Detroit.”
“Mymother said I had always
wanted to be a Sister,” says Sr. Katie.
“But it wasn’t until I was in high
school that I seriously began feeling a
call to join the life.”When she was
18, Sr. Katie joined the Adrian
Dominican Sisters.
“Inmy early life as a Dominican
sister, we weren’t given the option of
choosing where we served,” she says.
“Onmy first assignment, I was put on
a train and sent toMiami Shores,
Florida…to St. Rose of Lima Parish,”
she continues. “It seems fitting that I
beganmyministry at Rose of Lima
and amnow at St. Rose Dominican.”
Fromteacher to student
After seven years of teaching
elementary school in Florida,
Sr. Katie was given the opportunity to
study theology at the Aquinas
Institute of Theology in Dubuque,
Iowa, where she earned her master’s
degree in theology.
She then returned toMichigan to
as well as Swahili, the national
language. They also begin learning
English in about the fourth grade.”
‘Our teaminspiresme’
Today, Sr. Katie calls Nevada home.
She has been at St. Rose Dominican
for more than five years. “During
employee orientations, I love to hear
why people come to work at St. Rose.
It is always for something deeper
than just practicing clinical skills,”
she says. “Our staff inspires me to be
all I can be in this holy ministry.”
Meet Sister Katie
at the
Humankindness Tea (see page 7).
teach a life of prayer, community, and
ministry to women joining the Adrian
Dominicans. But she wasn’t done
adding to her own education. She
earned her master’s in counseling
and was a high school counselor in
the Detroit area.
Called toAfrica
In the early 1980s, an “amazing
opportunity” came Sr. Katie’s way—
to serve in Kenya. “Mymother was
not happy when I told her I was going
to Africa, partially because I could
only come home once every three
years,” she says. During her seven
years in Kenya, she served in the
Diocese of Nairobi and thenmoved
north to the Diocese of Eldoret.
“I learned somuch in Africa,” she
says. “Spirituality was somuch a part
of the people’s nature, and they were
very happy even thoughmuch of
their day was spent simply
surviving. It was a huge
adjustment for me…and
language was a challenge. I
found it humbling that the
Kenyan people learn
multiple tribal languages,
Reach
|
Winter 2016
15
Inspired to serve
This Sister never tires of giving and growing
“I love my role here
because I can
spread and share
our mission…with
the patients and the
staff.” —Sister
Katie McGrail, OP
18
The age Sr. Katie joined the
Adrian Dominican Sisters
7
years
in Kenya