Sister Judith Romero (formerly Sister Mary Brian)

Twins Judy and Patrick Romero as children.

Sister Judy Romero and her twin brother, Patrick, were born in Los Angeles in 1945. Siblings John and Mary Lou, rounded out the Romero family. Presentation Sisters at Our Lady of Loretto Elementary and High Schools gave Judy her early education and became instrumental in her decision to enter the Congregation in 1963. She received her habit and religious name, Sister Mary Brian, at Presentation Center, Los Gatos in 1964. By her profession in 1966, Sister Judy was back to using her baptismal name.

After receiving her BA in American Studies from the San Francisco College for Women (since incorporated into the University of San Francisco), Sister Judy began her ministry as a first grade teacher at St. Christopher Elementary School in San Jose. Sister Judy completed her advanced studies with a secondary education credential from San Jose State University and a Master’s Degree in religious education from Seattle University.

Sister Judy and her twin Pat as young adults.	Sister Judy with her parents in 1964.	Sister Judith with her sister Mary Louise.

Sister Judith Romero with students in 1983.

A born teacher who loved every teaching assignment, Sister Judy taught at both St. Christopher’s Elementary School in San Jose and Holy Trinity Elementary School in San Pedro; then Presentation High School, San Jose captured her heart for thirteen years. In addition to teaching, she also served in administration for four years as vice-principal and principal. Several years later, she was pulled back into secondary teaching at Presentation High School in Berkeley.

For about fifteen years, Sister Judy was asked to assume a series of leadership positions for the Congregation through internal services as Vocation Director, Formation Team Director, Director of Associates, Community Life Director, Coordinator and elected Councillor.Many times while working part time in Congregational ministries, Sister Judy was able to do other work: DRE (Director of Religious Education) at St. Perpetua Parish, Lafayette; volunteer Food Director at Sacred Heart Community Service in San Jose, and ESL teacher at Congregationally-sponsored Learning and Loving Education Center for Women in Morgan Hill.

Sisters Dolorosa O’Keane and Judith Romero in 1983, while Sr. Judith was Vocation Director.

Variety and creativity were always essential to Sister Judy’s happiness in ministry, and she thrived on a variety of salaried and volunteer experiences. Sister Judy’s heart was always touched and deeply pulled into direct service to the poor. Some of the tuggings that captivated her heart were cooking weekly for immigrant day workers in the Mission District of San Francisco, volunteering in a summer educational and enrichment experience with New York Presentation Sisters in lower Eastside Manhattan, volunteering in a women’s and children’s shelter in East Los Angeles, and working in a food pantry and clothes closet at Sacred Heart Community Service, San Jose.

Sister Judith Romero at Sacred Heart Community Center in San Jose, 1995.

As a young Sister, she had always dreamed of being missioned to St. Anthony’s Convent in Pecos, New Mexico because her father was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and she wanted to trace her roots. However, the Presentation Sisters left New Mexico before her dream was realized. Nevertheless, she had the opportunity to visit there some years later and was able to visit the church where her father was baptized. At St. Michael’s Church, she not only prayed for her deceased Dad, but for all the Presentation Sisters who had ministered to God’s people in New Mexico.

From 2010-2016, Sister Judy served as Congregational Councillor. She currently resides at the Presentation Motherhouse in San Francisco where she is engaged in the sandwich-making ministry for the homeless in the Tenderloin District of the City, as well as prayer ministry.
 

Ministries