SNJM Vision for Education
Sisters have founded, led and nurtured schools across the U.S. and Canada for many decades. Holy Names Educational Ministries was created to continue the Sisters’ mission of education.
Holy Names Educational Ministries
In 2018, the Sisters of the Holy Names made the bold decision to create Holy Names Educational Ministries (HNEM) to sustain their schools and other ministries into the future. The Vatican granted approval for this new ministry corporation on Dec. 8, 2022, and HNEM was formally established.
HNEM is led by Sisters and Catholic lay colleagues to continue the sponsorship of SNJM schools across the United States. SNJM member schools are:
Academy of the Holy Names in Albany, New York
Academy of the Holy Names in Tampa, Florida
Holy Names Academy in Seattle, Washington
Holy Names High School in Oakland, California
Holy Names Music Center in Spokane, Washington
Next Step Learning Center in Oakland, California
Ramona Convent Secondary School in Alhambra, California
St. Mary’s Academy in Portland, Oregon
HNEM will ensure a strong and mission-focused future for our beloved schools.
Full Development of the Human Person
The “full development of the human person” is a core focus of the SNJM Charism. Campus ministry staff at SNJM schools work with students to educate and empower them through service projects, leadership training and social justice work. On SNJM’s Women on a Mission podcast, Sister Daleen Larkin and Francois Laborie from Ramona Convent Secondary School and Julie Tilghman from Holy Names Academy in Seattle discuss how they nurture the full development of their students.
History of Education
Education has been a core focus of Sisters’ ministry work since SNJM’s founding in 1843. Sisters of the Holy Names have founded and served in educational institutions bearing their name as well as other diocesan schools and ministries, with a dedication to developing the whole person and a particular emphasis on the education of young women and girls.
The Constitutions of SNJM state, “We are a community of women religious consecrated to God in the Names of Jesus and Mary, who desire to proclaim by our lives the primacy of the love of God.” In the spirit of Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, who founded the Congregation more than 160 years ago, Holy Names Sisters, Associates and Lay Consecrated continue to promote the education and development of the whole human person.
In Quebec where the Congregation was founded in 1843, Holy Names Sisters quickly earned a reputation as exceptional educators. That reputation led to requests for their services elsewhere: In 1859, at the request of the Archbishop in the new state of Oregon, twelve Holy Names Sisters left Montreal for Portland, Oregon. Two weeks after their arrival, the Sisters opened St. Mary’s Academy. New communities quickly developed across the U.S. and Canada — then around the world.
SNJMs have educated tens of thousands of students from pre-school through graduate levels. SNJMs also have helped generations of students to prepare to receive the sacraments. Holy Names Sisters also have served as counselors, librarians, coaches, club advisors, infirmarians, directors of religious education and mentors. Their outreach includes diocesan and parochial schools and underserved communities.