Sister Eleanore Therese Martinez- 60th Jubilee

Written on: April 4, 2016

Though born and raised in Jackson Heights, NY, Sister Eleanore Therese spent many of her 60 years as a Grey Nun of the Sacred Heart in the Buffalo area. A teacher of science to adolescents for the first half of her religious life, she has helped addicted women, men and young people to experience rebirth (renaissance). She was the founding director of halfway houses for men and women. For many years, she served as administrator of Renaissance House, a facility for addicted youth, which offers a multidisciplinary program to meet the needs of each individual. “Ellie” as she is known almost everywhere, continues to live in Buffalo and to give retreats for men and women  recovering from addiction. She has a fun loving spirit and enjoys games and puzzles.

The Grey Nuns of my grammar school days had a spirit of peace and joy that left an indelible impression on me. Little did I realize that my choice 60 years ago to become a Grey Nun would lead me on a journey of challenges, discoveries and relationships that would teach me how to grow spiritually. As a Grey Nun I have had the privilege of working in education, addiction treatment, and retreat ministry. Throughout these experiences, I learned to foster a healthy curiosity and to thoroughly enjoy what I do. My life has been changed and blessed many times over. What I feel most strongly now is an immense gratitude for my family members who cheered me on; for the Grey Nuns who gave support even in tough times; and for those I met in my work who taught me to see with new perspective and have hope for tomorrow. I have learned that gratitude enriches my life in numerous ways and keeps me asking, “What really matters?

Read more about “Sister Ellie” click here

This entry was posted in Our 2016 Jubilarians and tagged: addiction treatment, Buffalo NY, education, Renaissance House, retreat ministry