​Sr. Mary Michaeline Green, O.P. has been involved in Catholic Education since the age of five. Born in New Orleans on the Feast Day of St. John the Baptist, she attended New Orleans parochial schools, including St. Michael School and later St. Mary’s all-girls school, taught by the Sisters of Notre Dame. Her parents had always stressed to her and sisters, Carole Ann and Carolyn, the importance of having a good Catholic education. When it was time for Sr. Michaeline to decide what high school to attend, her mother’s advice was St. Mary’s Dominican High School would be best for her daughter.

“I enrolled for the 9th grade. At the time, the faculty was mostly Dominican Sisters, with a few lay teachers,” she recalled. “I joined the Legion of Mary and was very active in the school. For Legion of Mary service, I was a volunteer with the Eucharistic Dominicans. We visited the Home for the Incurables where we read and wrote letters for the residents, and we also taught CCD classes on Sunday mornings in the bayou towns.”

In 1953, she graduated from St. Mary’s Dominican High School and that September entered the Dominican Sisters Novitiate. She graduated from St. Mary’s Dominican College with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Teaching. In the summer of 1960, Sr. Michaeline attended the University of Marquette in Wisconsin where she would earn a master’s degree in education. She has licenses in Educational Administration, Reading Specialist, and Curriculum Specialist. From 1968 to 1977, she was principal at Holy Ghost Parish School in Hammond, LA. Her religious order had staffed the school for several years.

A turning point came in 1977. Baton Rouge Bishop Joseph V. Sullivan called her, inquiring if she would be interested in serving as the Superintendent of Catholic Schools in Baton Rouge. The call was unexpected. “I told the bishop that I did not think I was the one for that job,” she shared. “I met with Sr. Therese who was the current Prioress. She said, “If the Lord is calling you, give it a chance.”

Sr. Michaeline accepted the offer and for 32 years served as the superintendent. She was known for her high standards, her fierce work ethic, her dedication to the students and as someone who cared deeply about the faith formation of the children and their families. There have been numerous milestones during those 32 years. To help financially struggling families who wanted their children to receive a Catholic education, Sr. Michaeline worked with area business owners to establish a scholarship program for the poorer schools in the diocese.

A champion of making Catholic schools affordable for all, she recounted on her efforts to form a committee of business leaders in the area. “The business leaders raised the money and that helped tremendously. There was an active Diocesan School Board, which is a policy making organization. At that time, there was no active parent organization. I revitalized the Diocesan Home and School Organization, which models for local parent clubs,” she recalled.

A hallmark of Sr. Michaeline’s work is how she has faced challenges always with faith and a determination to find resolution. One of those major challenges came August 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the New Orleans area as a Category 3 storm. Katrina’s destruction was catastrophic. Its storm surge caused levee breeches, leaving 80 percent of New Orleans under water. Thousands displaced. Schools obliterated. The schools in Baton Rouge received thousands of displaced students.

On September 22, 2005, Sr. Michaeline testified before the U S Congress to the Subcommittee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, as the Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Baton Rouge and Chairperson of the Nonpublic School Commission of the Louisiana Department of Education. In her opening remarks, she noted the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the children was “not just the physical dislocation. There is also the psychological aspect. These children have spent most, if not all, their lives in one school. They have built friendships and bonds with both fellow students and faculty. Their world is now upside down. They now find themselves in strange, sometimes over-crowded or make-shift classrooms, with unknown peers, and different instructors. Not only have they lost their homes, but they have lost one of the most important aspects of their lives, their school.’

​Addressing the congressional group, she noted that Louisiana had a unique situation with one third of all students attending nonpublic schools compared to the national average of 11 percent.

“In four of the severely impacted counties, called parishes, in Louisiana, around New Orleans, approximately 61,000 students of the 187,000 total student population attend nonpublic schools from pre-K through grade 12. Most of these students come from low to middle income families who are making a great financial sacrifice to send their children to a school of their choice for academic, religious, and safety reason.”

“We strongly support the President’s proposal to assist all students, regardless of the type of school they attend. This crisis is about children, not politics or money. A Katrina scholarship or an equal entitlement certificate or any other funding instrument that Congress deems appropriate will allow the displaced families to place their own children in nonpublic schools similar to their former schools.”

Recalling the months of recovery and rebuilding, Sr. Michaeline was unwavering in tapping resources and bringing everyone together and focusing on helping the schools. She recalled, “By the Grace of God we had electricity. By January, most schools were back to normal.”

At her retirement reception there were accolades from fellow religious and educators, students, volunteers, parents, legislators who noted her innovative ideas, unwavering commitment, and spiritual investment in the diocesan schools. The president of the National Catholic Association presented to her an award recognizing her unwavering commitment to Catholic education. Sr. Michaeline told the gathering that over the decades there were amazing accomplishments by the diocesan schools, “through the help and sacrifices of school administration, faculties, staff, volunteers, students, and parents. God has done great things for me, and holy is His name.”

Last July in New Orleans, Sr. Michaeline celebrated 70 years of service. Joining in her celebration were Sisters from the Dominican Sisters of Peace, an Adrian Dominican Sister, and 140 friends and family members. Today Sr. Michaeline resides in Metairie. In her 89th year, she continues sharing her time, talent, and wisdom. She has served as Pastoral Administrator at Our Lady of Perpetual Health. Now, at St. Ann Church and National Shrine in Metairie, she teaches and leads group discussions as a part of the Parish School of Religion program. Grateful to stay connected with friends, former teachers and students, Sr. Michaeline shared, “Every day I will call one or two of them, check on how they are, and see if there is anything they need.”

In her decades as an educator, Sr. Michaeline has always found joy working with students and their parents, stressing, “I feel that it is so important for their children to get to heaven.” Remaining steadfast in her belief that Catholic education should not become an institution of learning only for those who could afford it, she reflected, “Today there seems to be so much focus on technology and sports. It is very important to focus on forming faith filled people, to form young people in their faith, and empower them to stand for what is right. From the joint efforts of church, family, and schools, we are forming Catholic leaders to go out into the world and evangelize.”

At her Jubilee celebration in New Orleans, Sr. Mary Michaeline Green, O.P. (center) with Sr. Angeline Magro, O.P. (front, left), Sr. Judith Zynda, O.P., Sr. Pat Thomas, O.P., Sr. Kathy Broussard, O.P., Sr. Suzanne Brauer, O.P., Sr. Mary Ann Culotta, O.P. and Sr. Therese Leckert, O.P. Joining the celebration were Sisters from the Dominican Sisters of Peace, Adrian Dominican Sisters, and 140 friends and family members as Sr. Michaeline celebrated her 70 years of service to God’s people.

Four decades after this photo was taken, Sr. Michaeline recalled her joy at the groundbreaking ceremony for St. Thomas Aquinas High School. “When I went to Holy Ghost as Principal in 1969, I was told that the dream for the parish and school was to have a Catholic High School in the area. By the grace of God and with all the right players in place, it  became a reality. Thanks to the Springfield Dominican Sisters for their staffing and generosity. Without their generous support, the school would have had a difficult time surviving in the beginning.”

Sr. Mary Michaeline Green, O.P. meets with Msgr. Herman Lohmann who was in charge of the Holy Childhood Pontifical Mission Association in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Sr. Fidelis, the sister of Msgr. Lohmann, was in Sr. Michaeline’s community.

Sr. Mary Michaeline Green, O.P joins club moderator and the St. Thomas More Catholic School students who were Quiz Bowl Winners.