Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart Awards

With these awards, we honor the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus whose faith and mission brought them to New Orleans to share the legacy and teachings of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini. Throughout the years, the presence of the Missionary Sisters at Cabrini High has enriched the lives of our students and has contributed to our students becoming “more fully the young women God created them to be.” Today, we pay homage to five of our Missionary Sisters whose dedication and influence have touched so many at Cabrini High and who have contributed so much to the development of our school as the outstanding academic institution it is today.  We are very excited about the response from students and faculty as were received many nominations.  These nominations were reviewed by a sub-committee of the Mission Integration team.

Sister Christine Perazzoli, MSC – Sister Christine's initial role at Cabrini was as a teacher of biology, chemistry, religion, and social studies from 1963 to 1967, but later Sr. Christine became the second principal of Cabrini High School from 1968 to 1970, and our first school president from 1992 to 1995.  Sister Christine served in child care, education, and administration, but to all the children with whom she came in contact, her importance was her ability to reach out to the most vulnerable and troubled-to be present, to listen, and to practice tough love.  She was a strong, gentle, compassionate woman of great faith and dedication to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Sister Christine's beautiful blue eyes and her winning smile encouraged those around her to be able to speak to her about any problems they might have.

The Mother Christine Perazzoli Award is presented to a student who best personifies some or all of the outstanding Christian qualities of Mother Christine Perazzoli:  Poised, Gentle, Virtuous, Attentive to others, Scholarly, and Dignified.

The recipients for the Sister Christine Perazzoli Award for 2017 are: Rebekah Alvarenga’18, Nicole Kall’17, and Lauren Klemm’17.

Sister Catherine Garry, MSC - Sister Catherine came to New Orleans in 1966 to teach history and religion and became the third principal of Cabrini in 1970.  As a teacher, Sister Catherine was totally dedicated and committed to the complete education of her students.  As a principal, she was a professional whose knowledge, infinite patience, compassion, and creativity developed an organized, comfortable, caring and positive learning environment for all the students and teachers.  Sister Catherine's wisdom and serenity, her kindness and respect for each child she encountered, encouraged their growth into productive young women. Beyond these facts, Sister Catherine's profound faith, generosity, joy, and kindheartedness can still be felt at Cabrini High.

The Sister Catherine Garry Award is presented to a student who best personifies some or all of the outstanding Christian qualities of Sister Catherine Garry:  Spiritual, Strength as a leader, Business-minded, Intuitive, Practical, and Compassionate.

The recipients for the Sr. Catherine Garry Award for 2017 are: Payton Dawson’17, Amber Pitre’19, and Hanna Kennair’17.

Sister Victoria Dority, MSC - Sister Victoria entered into religious life at Mother Cabrini High School in New York City in 1959 at the age of 18. She received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Cabrini College in Radnor, Pennsylvania, and later became an English teacher at Cabrini High School in New Orleans from 1978 to 1987.  She co-authored the book, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini:  Cecchina's Dream.  Sister Victoria was a woman of strength and compassion and possessed a delightful sense of humor.  Though suffering with excruciating pain from a debilitating disease, Sister Victoria always leaned on her faith and showed others around her the strength and power of that faith.

The Sister Victoria Dority Award is presented to a student who best personifies some or all of the outstanding qualities of Sister Victoria Dority:  Persevering, Inspirational, Humble, Vivacious, Courageous in the face of adversity, and Humorous.

The recipients for the Sr. Victoria Dority Award for 2017 are:  Paige Burns’21, Kassandra Torres’17, and Katie Wellborn’18.

Sister Alice Zanon, MSC – Sister Alice was born and raised in Australia where she entered the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. After serving as an early childhood educator in Perth, she made her perpetual vows in her hometown and was immediately missioned to London, England, where she obtained her Bachelor of Education degree at the University of London. After teaching for a time in London, she was missioned to Swaziland, Africa, teaching high school there for three years at St. Mary's Mission. In 1996, Sr. Alice came to the United States to teach religion at Cabrini High School in New Orleans. Sr. Alice's strong faith and deep commitment to the Sacred Heart is evident in her interactions with her students and colleagues at Cabrini.

The Sister Alice Zanon Award is presented to a student who best personifies some or all of the outstanding Christian qualities of Sister Alice Zanon:  Adventurous, Spiritual, Devout, Fortitude, Non-Judgmental, Compassionate, Joyful, Intuitive, and Courageous.

The recipients for the Sr. Alice Zanon Award for 2017 are:  Penny Fischer’18 and Allison Serpas’17.

Sister Catherine DeFranco, MSC - Sr. Catherine was a graduate of Mother Cabrini High School and Fordham University in New York and held teaching certificates in several states.  Sister Catherine had a real passion for education, both as a dedicated teacher in the classroom, and as a wise and gentle counselor and mentor outside the classroom.  She taught at Mother Cabrini High School in New York, and Cabrini College in Radnor, Pennsylvania.  In 1981, Sr. Catherine came to Cabrini High School in New Orleans where she continued to win the hearts of all while teaching English and later, while working in public relations and in the front office.  Sr. Catherine always had a welcoming smile and through her relationships with others, showed her deep commitment to Jesus and imparted a strong message of love and concern.

The Sister Catherine DeFranco Award is presented to a student who best personifies some or all of the Christian outstanding qualities of Sister Catherine DeFranco:   Industrious (Hard-working), Organized, Joyful, Determined, Energetic, Benevolent, and Prayerful.

The recipients for the Sr. Catherine DeFranco Award for 2017 are:  Elenora Bullock’19, Heidi Kirsch’18, and Emily Nguyen’17.