Associate Spotlight: Yolanda Santillan

After a year of preparation, Yolanda Montano Santillan, Our Lady of Loretto High School, Class of 1974, Los Angeles, joined the Presentation Associates at the 2019 Assembly on June 22, 2019. She was presented to the community by Rosalie Cabrera, Our Lady of Loretto, Class of 1956, Los Angeles. Rosalie was Yolanda’s mentor and accompanied her, along with fellow inquirers Katherine Valenzuela-Sias, Our Lady of Loretto, Class of 1974, Los Angeles, and Patricia Diaz, Our Lady of Loretto, Class of 1974, Los Angeles, through the year-long orientation process.

Yolanda first met the Presentation Sisters at Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School and continued on through high school at Our Lady of Loretto High School. There she became close to the Sisters and their work. Her mentor at school was Sister Honora Barnacle, PBVM, Presentation High School, Class of 1947, San Francisco, who instilled in her a love for reading and enjoyment for life. Following Sister Honora’s inspiration, she always sets aside time for relishing life. She enjoys walking her dogs, loves cooking at any hour of the day and night, and has a passion for reading. She particularly enjoys history and books on spirituality.

At present, Yolanda is working as a caregiver for developmentally disabled adults. Through this work she is putting into practice the Presentation charism to work with those on the margins of Society and do all you can to make things better for them.

A strong connection at her parish church, Saint Gregory the Great, in Whittier, California, gives Yolanda a chance to participate in a parish community. She is a member of a weekly Bible study group and the Women of Faith Ministry there. As a Eucharistic Minister, she is seeking to bring communion to the sick and homebound, another connection to the Presentation charism.

She continues to support the work of the Sisters through Loretto Friends of the Presentation Sisters. She gives her time selflessly and works diligently to make their yearly fund raising event a success. At one of these events, she heard about the Presentation Associate Program and saw it as a way to deepen her connection to the Sisters of the Presentation. She has been warmly welcomed as a new member of the Associate Community.

Written by Kay Sweeney, Associates Program Facilitator