Sister Mary Christina Bradley, IWBS will celebrate 75 years of consecrated life

Sister Christina was baptized Ann Marie after her birth in Manhattan, New York. She grew up in the Bronx, one of eight children born to Patrick Bradley and Margaret O’Callaghan Bradley. At age 14, she followed her great aunt and an older cousin in their vocations as Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. She entered the Corpus Christi community and went through formation with her older sister, Sister Margaret Patrice, and professed their first vows in 1948. 

 “It was during my formation years that God’s plan for me began to unfold,” Sister Christina said. “I began to appreciate the importance of a deep prayer life, of what it meant to live in community and how a commitment to ongoing conversion sometimes involves growing pains.”

Eventually, the two Bradley sisters were joined by another sibling, Sister Marian Bradley, in the Incarnate Word community.

Sister Christina earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio and the Montessori International Diploma from the Montessori Institute in Washington, D.C. She began teaching in parish schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, served as principal of Cathedral School, and for many years was Director of the Incarnate Word Montessori School. 

 In the early 1960s, several parents asked the Incarnate Word Sisters to begin a Montessori school, so Sister Christina traveled to Washington, D.C., for specialized training in the Montessori method of education.  In 1965, she was one of the founders of the first Montessori school at Incarnate Word in Corpus Christi. She and Sister Stanislaus Peña trained and certified by the Association Montessori International, began the school by opening two classrooms in the basement of Incarnate Word Convent on Alameda Street for three to five-year-olds. In addition to directing and teaching the IWA Montessori classes, she trained many Montessori teachers in the South Texas area and welcomed other Montessori schools to observe classes at IWA. 

In 2015 Sister Christina was honored at the 50th anniversary of the Montessori school for her 37 years of dedicated service. Today the Montessori School is thriving, with classes extending from three-year-olds to fifth-grade students.  A new building for Montessori classes will open this year on the IWA campus.   

Sister Christina has said that one of her greatest pleasures was working with the youngest Montessori students, who “were a source of joy and kept me young at heart. No wonder Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.’”

In her ministry within the congregation, Sister Christina has served on various committees, has been the Director of Formation and has served as Sister-in-Charge of the Motherhouse. Throughout the years, she has served as an elected delegate to General Chapters of the Congregation. In every assignment, she is gentle and encouraging and full of good humor. In her retirement, she is still active, whether with art projects, prayer or helping with community projects and activities. 

Bishop Michael Mulvey will celebrate Mass for the 2022-2023 World Day for Consecrated Life at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 5 at Corpus Christi Cathedral. During the Mass, those in consecrated life will renew their commitment, and jubilarians celebrating anniversaries ranging in length from 25-75 years will be acknowledged with gratitude.

Jubilarians from the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament (IWBS) who will be celebrating with Sister Christina Bradley (75 years) are Sister Maria Elizabeth Brehony (70 years) and Sister Michelle Marie Kuntscher (60 years).

Sisters celebrating 50 years will be Sister Agueda Durazo Barcelo, from the Missionary Daughters of the Most Pure Virgin Mary (MDMPVM) and Sister Elizabeth Pathiparamil, from the Sisters of the Adoration and Blessed Sacrament (SABS).

Celebrating 25 years will be Sisters from the Pax Christi Institute (PCI) are Sister Mercedez Martinez Orozco, Sister Cleotilde Resendiz Loredo, and Sister Gloria Salinas Gonzalez; Sisters from SABS are Sister Tereasa Jose Panattuparamban and Sister JoeMary Kallarackal; and Sister Mary of our Divine Savior from the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity.
 

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World Day for Consecrated Life will be celebrated in the Church on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, and in parishes over the weekend of Feb. 4-5, 2023. Please pray for all those who have made commitments in consecrated life, and be sure to thank them on their special day. May they continue to be inspired by Jesus Christ and respond generously to God's gift of their vocation.