Sister Sara Dwyer, ASC, is the newest member of the Paulist formation team.

When she first heard about the assistant director of formation position with the Paulist Fathers, Sister Sara Dwyer, a member of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, immediately went to the Paulist Web site to investigate.

“As I read, I discovered many aspects of the Paulist mission is the same as the Adorers, especially reconciliation and evangelization and creating an environment where people can grow in their spiritual life,” said Sister Sara, 59. 

Since January, Sister Sara has been present for community liturgies, meals and team meetings; assisted with the academic evaluation of men applying to the Paulist formation program with vocations director Father Dave Farnum; giving observations and insights to the seminarians at St. Paul’s College and will be assigned various tasks with the seminarians “to walk with them in their formation and spiritual journey.” 

“I have felt very welcome from the beginning, by the formation team, the Paulist community and the CSP visitors to St. Paul’s,” Sister Sara said.  

Sister Sara is a cradle Catholic hailing from Wichita, Kan., growing up in an Irish family – 4 brothers and a sister – that had a rich prayer life. She entered the Adorers right after high school in 1968, wanting to teach high school English and theology. 

“As a teen, I saw the Sisters as very dedicated to educating youth and doing good service projects,” Sister Sara said. “Besides, I always liked time for prayer and community life.” 

The young woman was also intrigued by the international scope of the Adorers because “at any time somewhere in the world, someone in the world was praying for the world.” 

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy/Theology at Newman University in Wichita, Sister Sara realized her dream of teaching high school for two years. Then as her life as an Adorer continued, she taught catechesis and theology for adults at a Center in rural NE Colorado. While completing a master’s degree in theology from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Tx., Sara spent eight years in campus ministry and adult education at St Thomas More University Parish, Norman, OK.

Later, she attended Boston College to obtain a master’s in Education.  Sara has served her community in various roles, one of which was spending six years on the Adorers’ leadership team. During that time, she sat for three years on the national board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, located in Silver Springs, MD. 

After the completion of her leadership ministry, Sister Sara worked at NETWORK before moving to the formation team position with the Paulists, with whom she was already familiar from evangelization ministry in Texas and Oklahoma. 

“It is a positive, hospitable and engaging community,” she said.