You’ve GOT TO read this wonderful story about a wonderful woman in our midst — Sister Ann Keefe –a local hero! What an amazing life she’s led, and how many organizations she’s founded! We are blessed to have her among us. The story is by Edward Fitzpatrick in the Providence Journal. Here are a few excerpts from the article, and the link for the full piece is below.

“With an election year under way, Rhode Island politicians will soon be listening to their fundraisers and pollsters, to their advisers and campaign managers. But first, they should listen to Sister Ann C. Keefe.

“In September, Sister Keefe received one of the “Women of Achievement” awards from the YWCA Rhode Island. And in her acceptance speech, she reminded the “elected and selected” that “public service is just that — it’s service.”

“Politicians often start with good intentions, Sister Keefe said in an interview. ‘But they get mixed up in the shuffle of this or that piece of legislation, or someone wants to get this one a job, or they make promises that shouldn’t be promised,’ she said. Even if they don’t realize it, they can come to value public power over public service; they can develop a sense of entitlement, she said. ‘Power has to be used for good, and you can’t confuse it. Once it gets confused, it can take a long time to figure it out again.’…

“Let’s get to the heart of what we are really about — inviting people to love each other,” she said. “There is no other message, no other way. When you and I are gone, the way we will be remembered is how by much we loved others.”

By that measure, Sister Keefe will be long remembered as a woman of great achievement.

http://www.providencejournal.com/writers/edward-fitzpatrick/20130104-edward-fitzpatrick-sister-ann-c.-keefe-calls-for-less-talk-more-action-from-public-servants.ece