Faith, Leadership, and Love

“Be diligent in serving the poor. Love the poor, honor them, my children, as you would honor Christ Himself.”

St. Louise de Marillac

By S. Joan Elizabeth Cook

S. Barbara Davis entered the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati 65 years ago.

S. Barbara Davis is known and appreciated as a generous, talented person who readily shares her gifts. She lives in the spirit of Saint Elizabeth Seton, a woman of the Church and a lifelong educator.

S. Barbara and her twin sister, Carolyn, were born in Cincinnati, where their parents had lived from childhood. Their father, William, graduated from Hughes High School and mother, Marie, attended business school after she graduated from St. Francis Seraph Elementary School. They were married at St. George Church in Clifton.

The family lived in Oakley; the girls attended St. Cecilia School and were taught by the Sisters of Mercy. When St. Cecilia’s became overcrowded, they transferred to Holy Angels School; there the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur taught them. The family moved to Norwood when Barbara and Carolyn started eighth grade. They attended St. Elizabeth’s briefly, then returned to Holy Angels to finish eighth grade. Then the family moved to Price Hill, where Barbara and Carolyn attended Seton High School.

She says, “Contact with Sisters of Charity at Seton made all the difference!” She was drawn to their joyful, engaging interaction with students and their wonderful teaching and mentoring. Several Sisters were particularly influential for her: S. Marie Emmanuel Streit was moderator of the Mother Seton League and S. Paula Gonzalez was her religion teacher and sophomore homeroom teacher. That was the year Barbara first thought of becoming a Sister (she had wanted to become a teacher since she was a little girl).

S. Barbara entered the Sisters of Charity after graduation, inspired by the life of Saint Elizabeth Seton and the happiness of the Seton Sisters. She and Carolyn remember the day the family took her to the Motherhouse: the twins dressed alike in Seton High School green and white for what they thought would be the last time. Little did any of us dream how many details of our life would change in the coming years!

S. Barbara earned a BS in education at the College of Mount St. Joseph-on-the-Ohio and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Detroit. She was missioned to teach elementary and junior high school students at St. Mary, Greenville, Ohio; Holy Redeemer, Kensington, Maryland; and St. Michael, Findlay, Ohio. She then became the principal at St. Michael’s, and spent most of the next 30 years as a principal and consultant in the Toledo diocese. S. Barbara modeled collaboration with school and parish personnel, implementing the lessons of Vatican Council II. She served with the priests, Sisters, business manager and parishioners in setting direction for parish programs and other major decisions. She once commented, “The lay people on the pastoral staff help us to be in touch with what the people of the parish are thinking and what their needs are.”

She and the Rev. John A. Thomas, superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Toledo, discussed this Vatican II model of parish administration in a 1989 article, “The Principal as Part of the Pastoral Team.” They pointed out the value of collaboration, specifying the principal’s role as spiritual and educational leader and manager of the school community, encouraging parents and families to be active in parish activities.

S. Barbara met regularly with the pastor to share beliefs and values in addition to parish concerns, and communicated with the school board, Director of Religious Education (DRE), liturgist and business manager as well. The pastor maintained involvement in the school as his time and talents allowed. S. Barbara agrees that this level of collaboration and faith sharing takes time to develop, but is very important for a healthy parish life.

S. Barbara’s persistent grant writing was rewarded with computers and programs that enhanced the students’ learning process, particularly in reading, social studies and science. Her involvements expanded and she was appointed to the National Catholic Education Association Elementary Schools’ Executive Committee. She also served as a liaison between the women religious of the Toledo Diocese and the Ohio bishops.

In summer 1993, while principal at St. Mary School in Shelby, Ohio, S. Barbara spent two weeks in Ukraine with two other teachers at the request of the U.S. Catholic Bishops. She voiced her hope “to share my conviction about the importance and value of Catholic education. Maybe I will find that their faith is even more dear to them because it has been preserved through such distress. They had to fight for it; we take so much for granted.” They assisted the staff of the Catholic Academy in Lviv, Ukraine’s only Catholic school in the former Soviet Union, in evolving into a private, Catholic school.

During the 1995-’96 school year, the Ohio Catholic Bishops reached an agreement with the State of Ohio to include Catholic identity as part of the state accrediting process. This led to the creation of the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association. St. Mary’s, under S. Barbara’s leadership, was one of three pilot schools in this program, which continues to serve Catholic schools across the state today.

In 1998, S. Barbara was recognized by several groups for her valuable contributions to Church and society. She received the Distinguished Principal Award from the National Catholic Educational Association. S. Karen Elliott, C.PP.S, director of youth at St. Mary’s, noted S. Barbara’s special knack for bringing out the best in everyone. That same year she was one of 61 principals recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association of Elementary School Principals. And the city of Shelby designated the week of March 2-7, 1998 as Sister Barbara Davis, SC Week in recognition of her countless contributions that enhanced the life and education of the people of Shelby.

In 2003, S. Barbara retired from St. Mary and enjoyed a six-month sabbatical. She enjoyed frequent visits to Cincinnati, where her sister Carolyn lived with their mother and cared for her until her death at the age of 99.

She served as a consultant for Catholic Youth and Elementary School Services for a few months, then as principal of Sylvania Franciscan Academy for three years before volunteering as coordinator of alumni relations at Mercy College of Northwest Ohio. The college awarded her the 2012 Mind, Heart, Hand Award, an honor given to a member of the Mercy College family whose thoughts, attitudes and behaviors exemplify the college’s mission and values, and whose presence serves as a positive influence on others. In 2009, S. Barbara began eight years of service on the board of Mount St. Joseph University, where she served on the Academic Affairs Committee. She then began her current volunteer ministry as a member of the DePaul Cristo Rey High School board.

In the midst of her many service involvements, S. Barbara enjoys participating in activities and projects with her Sisters, Associates and friends. She loves to read, and she follows the Reds and Bengals as well as Notre Dame football. This summer S. Barbara celebrated her 65th Jubilee with her Sisters in the Band of 1960. She looks forward to continuing her generous and fulfilling life as a daughter of Saint Elizabeth Seton.

Davis 2023

S. Barbara Davis (right) and her twin sister, Carolyn (left), both attended Seton High School as students and continue to support the school in a variety of ways.

Davis 2012 Mercy College of Ohio Award

In 2012, S. Barbara Davis was awarded the Mind, Heart, Hand Award form Mercy College of Northwest Ohio for exemplifying the college’s mission and values.

Kloos,Davis,Gonzalez 2016

S. Barbara Davis (back row, second from left) was drawn to the Community through the influence of her Seton High School teachers, including the late S. Paula Gonzalez (front row, right).

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