Kathryn Ondreyco, SNJM

Sister Kathryn Ondreyco was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, to Selma and Andy Ondreyco. When she was five years old, her family moved to Oakland, California, with her sister, Mary, who was just two months old. She attended Marylrose Elementary School and Holy Names High School, where she was taught by the Sisters of the Holy Names. It was during those formative years that her lifelong love of music began. She started studying piano in the second grade and added violin in the fourth grade, experiences that laid the foundation for her enduring appreciation of music. Inspired by the Sisters’ example, she entered the Congregation at Los Gatos, California, in 1954.

Kate earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music education and began her ministry as a music teacher in elementary and secondary schools throughout California. She served as a violinist and pianist for Sisters of the Holy Names liturgies, gatherings, and celebrations, as well as for school and parish liturgies in Los Gatos.

In 1968, Kate moved into school administration, serving as dean of students, midsession coordinator, principal, and development director at Ramona, St. Andrew, and Holy Names High School. Throughout those years, she continued her professional and personal growth by participating in classes and workshops in educational administration, curriculum development, intercultural relations in classroom and school settings, and the World Future Society’s programs on secondary education. These experiences broadened her understanding of leadership and prepared her to serve in increasingly diverse communities.

One of the most transformative experiences of her life came during the summer of 1982, when she served as an international observer in the Salvadoran refugee camps in Honduras. Witnessing the courage and resilience of refugees deepened her commitment to justice, compassion, and service.

In 1994, after many years in secondary education, she accepted a position in the Development Department at Heritage College in Toppenish, Washington, where she served for two years. Those were especially meaningful years, as she had the privilege of working in a rural community alongside the Yakama Nation and the region’s Hispanic population. The relationships she formed there enriched both her ministry and her understanding of cultural diversity. she then returned to California to serve in the ministry of SNJM Development for the California region, a role she held for the next 28 years.

Looking back, each ministry and each community Sister Kate served shaped her in profound ways. Whether as a teacher, administrator, development director, musician, she has been blessed by the people she encountered and the opportunities to grow in faith, leadership, and service. Her ministerial experiences have left a lasting impact on her life and continue to inspire her gratitude for God’s many blessings.