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Father Hanh Van Pham blesses Sister Camelia Herlihy on her birthday after a week day Mass that was celebrated for children from Central Catholic Elementary School. Sister Camelia is the principal at Central Catholic. Mary Cottingham, South Texas Catholic |
Sister Camelia is the daughter of the late Cornelius and Mary Herlihy and was born and baptized Eileen Patricia Herlihy in New York City. Several of her relatives were Incarnate Word Sisters, including her aunt, Mother Antoinette Begley and her cousins, Sister Noreen Begley and Sisters Margaret Patrice, Christina and Marian Bradley.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Edward’s University in Austin, and a Master’s in education from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. She holds certifications in secondary teaching, administration and counseling from the Texas Education Agency.
Sister Camelia taught at Catholic schools in Corpus Christi, Kingsville and Brownsville and served as principal at St. Gertrude School, Kingsville, at Villa Maria High School in Brownsville and Incarnate Word Academy Elementary in Corpus Christi. In September 2013, she was asked to assume the administration of Central Catholic Elementary School, which she readily did.
While in Brownsville, Sister Camelia also worked at the Newman Center at Texas Southmost College.
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Sister Mary Camelia Herlihy, IWBS |
As diocesan supervisor of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Corpus Christi from 1971 to 1973, Sister Camelia established an intensive program to insure that the 28 diocesan schools, with an enrollment of more than 6,000 students, exceeded accreditation standards. The bishops of Texas had begun to seek accreditation for all Catholic schools in the state of Texas in 1967, and Corpus Christi became the second diocese in the state to gain full accreditation status by the Texas Education Agency on Sept. 8, 1973.
Bishop Thomas J. Drury appointed Sister Camelia as Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the diocese in August of that year.
“It was a great privilege to serve with such dedicated principals and pastors during that time,” Sister Camelia said. “Bishop Drury was dedicated to Catholic education, and through his influence and support the schools were all brought up to accreditation status.”
Sister Camelia continued as superintendent for 14 years until 1985.
Her work in education extended to other areas. She served as chairperson of the Superintendents of Catholic Schools in Texas, as Director of Education, Director of Vocations and Formation and as the Chairperson of the Education Commission for the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.
She represented the diocese at the Texas Catholic Conference, and has always been active in functions of the National Catholic Education Association.
In May 2013, Sister Camelia retired as principal of Incarnate Word Academy Elementary after having served in that capacity for 20 years. She spent 54 years of consecrated life as a dedicated educator, administrator and superintendent of Catholic education.
Sister Camelia now looks forward to her next retirement and her jubilee celebration in observance of 60 years as an Incarnate Word Sister.
“I thank God for the gift of being called to the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament and for being called to serve the people of south Texas,” she said.