Community at St. Ann's in Harlem, NY, where Lisa spent a year living while teaching art at
Paterson Catholic High School in Paterson, NJ, prior to entering the IHM Congregation as a candidate.
(L-R) Srs. Ancilla Maloney, Josephine Cioffi, Lisa, Maria Regina Loures, Joan Quinn, and Mary Elizabeth Ehling


Teresa of Avila Community members, mentors to Lisa, (L-R) Srs. Cor Immaculatum Heffernan, Jane Snyder,
Lisa, Catherine Luxner and Ellen Carney


Visitation Community, Lisa's community for the candidacy year, (L-R) Srs. Mary Rassley, Lisa,
Kathleen Lunsmann and Ann Michael Zaytoun (missing, Sr. Carleen Boehlert)

Mary Lynn Delfino, Lisa, and Jenn Doyle

Lisa and Carrie Flood, novice

Rachel Terry, novice, Kelly Stezar, affiliate, and Mary Lynn Delfino

Srs. Jane Snyder, Cor Immaculatum and Lisa

Sr. Mary Persico and Lisa

While teaching at Paterson Catholic, Perkowski was continuously discerning to be an IHM sister. In the summer of 2005, she decided she wanted a more “hands-on” approach in knowing about life as an IHM sister. She spoke with Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Ruth Harkins, vocation director of the community. Later that fall, it was decided she would live in community at St. Ann’s Convent in Harlem, N.Y. ,while continuing to teach full-time at Paterson Catholic. At the convent, Perkowski lived with five IHM sisters and one Dominican sister learning the blessings and challenges of religious life.

Her parents, Marianne and Stephen Perkowski, parishioners of Resurrection, at first admitted they were a bit hesitant when Perkowski, who is the oldest of three, decided to enter religious life but today they definitely believe in their daughter’s dream to do this.

Marianne Perkowski said, “I am happy for her. She is really, really called to do this and she seems genuinely happy in her calling.” Stephen Perkowski, who is also president of the Morris County Right to Life chapter said, “I feel honored to give my first born to the Lord. In a sense, it’s like in the Old Testament when the Jewish people would give their first born to God.”

During her discernment, Perkowski consulted with Father John Andrew Connell, pastor of Resurrection Parish. Father Connell, who himself was in religious life as member of the Christian Brothers before becoming a diocesan priest, said, “She is a very gifted young lady in music and art. She is a women of deep spirituality and she has all the natural attributes of a religious.”

With those attributes, Perkowski learned about life in the convent. It has definitely taught Perkowski how community is such a vital part of religious life. “For me, I felt this was a good way of understand life with a community. It made me realize the structure and routine the sisters live,” said Perkowski.

Because each of the sisters all worked in different ministries, dinnertime with each other was a very special time of the day recalls Perkowski.
“Eating dinner together gave us time to talk about what was going on during the day in our ministries and in our lives,” said Perkowski, “It feels wonderful to share your prayers and share your faith and be present to one another like any family. It’s good to know there’s someone around to listen and just to talk to about anything.”

As a religious sister, Perkowski hopes to follow in the footsteps of the order’s patron, St. Alfonsus Ligouri. “He served with unconditional love and he believed serving the poor brings our faith to all people,” said Perkowski, who has already brought that faith to people in Kentucky and St. Lucia on mission trips.

The mission of the IHM sisters is to bring a spirit to all about the redeeming mission of Jesus by celebrating and proclaiming the Good News of God’s unconditional love for all people.

“Her heart has always been in service in the name of the Lord,” said Father Connell, “The community at Resurrection is very enthused about this.” “She always puts all her efforts in all she does,” said her father, “Whatever she ends up doing as nun whether it be as a teacher or in mission work, she will put all her heart in it.”

After she is called to candidacy, Perkowski will be living at Scranton, where she will continue to teach in two elementary Catholic schools and volunteer in the area. “I’ll miss the sense of community I had among the faculty at Paterson Catholic and the relationships I have begun to build with the students and the teachers,” said Perkowski.

Perkowski is also going to miss the sisters she lived with for a year at the convent. “I am going to miss the community because it was a special experience for me. It gave me a deeper understanding of religious life.”

Said her mother, “I think she’ll be a great nun. She’s a not a person who needs a lot of things, she lives simply. She’s not very materialistic, she’s beyond those things.”

“I’m excited (for Aug. 27). There are little moments where I lose myself thinking about it. I have to focus myself and trust in God. I know this is going to be great,” said Perkowski, “I am really happy to be able to become the person I believe I was met to be.”