Sister Teresa Raftery, IHM

Sister Teresa Raftery, IHM was born in Brooklyn, NY. Teresa is not only of Irish decent; she still has relatives there.

Her father, Edward, was in sales – delivering “Bond Bread” to area stores. He struggled with the idea of the “Mysteries of Faith,” but he loved his wife, Vera, so he attended Mass every Sunday. Her mother cared for their three children while she also worked so that she and her husband could afford to put their children (Teresa was the middle child) through Catholic school – St. Ephrem’s with the IHMs in grade school and with the Josephite Sisters from Brentwood for high school. Teresa’s brother went to a minor seminary then completed high school at Immaculata HS in NYC. He spent some time in the military and after that he became a journalist and a reporter.

Teresa had Sister Thelma in second grade and liked her very much. Sister Thelma went on to become her sponsor when Teresa told her she thought she had a vocation. Teresa was not alone – a number of young women from St. Ephrem’s pursued an IHM vocation. Though she went to Catholic School, she also attended CCD! She went to class, but she really enjoyed the after-class social hour! They also put on minstrels and Teresa participated.

Though certain she had a vocation – she even told one of her Josephite teachers who agreed but affirmed that her vocation was to the IHMs! Teresa decided to work as a clerk in the City Board of Standards and Appeals before she entered in 1956. She was interviewed by Mother Kathleen. Teresa was named Sister St. Ephrem as she entered the novitiate. She’d wanted to be named after one of her parents but those names were already taken, so instead she honored both her home parish and grade school name.

Teresa did her student teaching in sixth grade at Nativity School. Like most Sisters during that time, it took her six years to complete her first degree in summer school! The fact that many Sisters managed to succeed in the classroom only with the tutorial help from the Sisters at the convent – always amazes me! Certainly, any lay teacher would need to show proof of a degree!

For 16 years, Teresa taught first grade. She completed both her BA in elementary education/English and her MS in counselor education by 1973. Finally, in 1980, she went to Williamsport where she taught both junior high, religion and guidance. Her CCD experience became useful as she became the Director of Religious Studies and pursued a Master’s degree in that area. Her first assignment as the Director of Religious Education for ten years was at St. Dominic’s in Oyster Bay.

Teresa had obviously found her niche because she then spent 14 years in the Rockville Centre Diocese in Glen Cove as a Pastoral Associate of Faith Formation and 12 years in Manhasset as the Director of Adult Faith Formation. Teresa arrived at OLP in 2025. Like so many able-bodied IHMs, though we are identified as “Prayer Ministers,” we don’t retire until we have to because there are many volunteer opportunities at OLP.

One of the great joys of Teresa’s life is that she has been able to visit her family in Ireland. Not certain if it’s doing a jig or not, but Teresa surely does love to dance!