Meet Margaret “Margy” Ames, Associate

For nearly 50 years, Margy has been closely connected with the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. In 1973, she was introduced to Sister Mary Garvin and joined a group of young women interested in religious life. Upon graduating from Eastern Washington University, she entered the community and spent eight fruitful years in formation. Margy then felt called by God to serve as a lay woman. She formally became as an Associate in July 1996.

For many years, she volunteered her time and talents in the Yakima Valley and Jonestown, MS as well as with A Call to Vietnam, an SNJM ministry supporting the work of women religious with marginalized people in Vietnam. She was an active member of the Congregational and Province Justice networks and contributed to the creation of each of the SNJM corporate stands. As a result of these blessed opportunities, she has met and shared community with many Sisters worldwide. Her 45-year education career included teaching health and physical education and coaching girls’ sports teams. She earned a master’s degree in Religious Studies from Gonzaga University and taught theology for many years.

As a result of her SNJM volunteer experiences, she also earned a Teaching of English Language degree from Seattle University and spent the last six years of her career teaching English language learners in a public middle school. She loved educating students from all over the world and supporting them in becoming successful in their individual endeavors. Her goal during retirement is to continue tutoring English students of all ages.  She recently moved to Spokane in order to spend more quality time with her large extended family, longtime friends, wonderful neighbors and inspiring Holy Names Sisters and Associates. The charism of the Holy Names Sisters of Jesus and Mary has always been held deeply in Margy’s heart. She strongly believes that “we all hunger and long for community. In serving God, we are each called to promote justice, to be a voice for the marginalized and to care for all of Creation.”