Sister Anita Marie Torres

Early on September 11, 1934, Sister Anita Marie was born in Emeryville, California. Her mom, Guadalupe L., and dad, Domingo Perez Torres, now had seven children; two more children would follow. She was baptized Abelina Torres, but when she started at Golden Gate Public School, the teachers used the English form of Evelyn for Abelina.  She later transferred to Saint Columba School, Oakland for fourth through eighth grades where she met the Presentation Sisters. She then attended Saint Joseph High School, Berkeley, graduating in 1953.

Sister Anita Marie’s family members are her sisters Mary Rubio and her husband Anthony (deceased); Rose Riepel; Lupe Moore and her husband Ray (deceased); and brothers and sisters-in-law: Luis and Anne Torres; Ausencio and Elodia Torres; Miguel and Consy Torres; Angel and Violet Torres; and Raul Torres. She has twenty-seven nieces and nephews, thirty-two grandnieces and nephews, and five great-grandnieces and nephews.

Her family is very important in her life. She keeps in touch by visits, phone calls, letters/cards, and family get-togethers. Her parents visited every place she was assigned, even New Mexico

When she entered the convent, August 21, 1953 at 281 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco, she entered the Presentation family. She received her habit and religious name, Anita Marie, on March 28, 1954. In June of 1954, crowded conditions at the Motherhouse necessitated the novitiate’s move to the old boarding school of Saint Joseph Convent, Berkeley. On April 2, 1956, Sister Anita Marie made her first vows.  Her teaching ministry began at Epiphany School, San Francisco, teaching first grade. She was assigned about every two years to a new place: Holy Trinity, San Pedro; Saint Columba, Oakland; Saint Benedict, Montebello; and Saint John Vianney, San Jose.

Life and ministry took another turn on August 21, 1967. She was assigned to Saint Anthony School, Pecos, New Mexico. She thought she was only going for nine months to close the school. In January 1968, however, Mother Mary William Murphy, the Community’s President, came to Pecos for visitation and asked her to apply to teach at Pecos District 21 Public School. The parish was too poor to support the Sisters, but the salary from teaching would support the four sisters in Pecos. Sister Anita Marie began fourteen exciting years of teaching. She had a wonderful principal, Mr. Tito Herrera, and colleagues.

In May 1981, she needed to return to California because her father was ill. There were many tears as she and Sister Cecile Feldhaus prepared to leave. Sister Anita Marie remarks, “My heart is still in Pecos with the children, people, and snow!”
Her dad died December 26, 1981.This was the first big funeral in their family. Their grandparents had died in Mexico, as did their aunts and uncles. Her mom, the ‘valiant’ woman of scripture, continued living for thirteen years before joining “Pop” in heaven, August 18, 1994.

In 1984, Sister Anita Marie moved into parish ministry, beginning at St. Louis Bertrand, Oakland. For the first time she lived with Dominican Sisters, not Presentation. In 1985, she moved in with Holy Names Sisters in San Francisco and began work as Pastoral Associate at Saint Paul Parish. Again, she put her bilingual skills to use. In 1991, she moved to Saint Elizabeth Convent, San Francisco with Presentation Sisters.

In 1995 to ’96, her sabbatical year began at Sangre de Cristo, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  From there, she visited Guatemala and then returned to family and friends in the Bay Area.  In August 1996, she began her third ministry, as Religious Coordinator at Holy Angels School of Religion in Colma, California.

What exciting years! She worked with great teachers and wonderful public school students. She was the third Presentation Sister in Colma, Sisters (and biological sisters) Maryann and Doreen Healy having ministered at Holy Cross Cemetery.

Sister Anita Marie celebrated fifty years of entrance in the convent on August 21, 2003.

She continued her ministry as Religion Coordinator at Holy Angels School of Religion until 2013. In Spring of 2013, Holy Angels Parish gave her a double celebration! Sister remarks, “This magnificent celebration was like no other that I had ever had! It was a Sixty Year Jubilee of Entrance and a Happy Retirement celebration!! What a day!”

Her family, her Presentation family, and friends came from out of state and from nearby for Mass, music, dinner and entertainment. “Thank you, thank you, and thank you, God!”
 

In the Fall of 2013, she went on a three-month sabbatical in Tucson, Arizona. This was directed by the Redemptorists.

When she returned to the Bay Area, she began teaching English as a second language at The Lantern in San Francisco. The Lantern was directed by Sister Maire Sullivan.

They had to quarantine in 2019 because of the Covid virus. By this time, Kathleen Purcell was directing The Lantern. The Lantern did not reopen, but the students, mainly women from Central America and Mexico, continued their studies on Zoom, by phone or through other places of education. As 2020 arrived and quarantines were ending, the Day Laborer Program continued – once a week the Sisters and Presentation People put together lunches to give to those waiting for jobs at the park and at the Day Laborer office.
 
At the present Sister Anita Marie helps with the Day Laborer Program and visits the Sisters at the Motherhouse.

Sister Anita Marie shares, “I am ever grateful to God and Our Lady of Guadalupe for their blessings on my family, Sisters, and my Presentation friends.  Thank you!  Gracias!”

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