Mrs. Joan Kane has been responsible for serving and leading Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Academy since 1998. In a recent interview, Mrs. Kane tells us that as a young girl, she grew up in a very religious family and that the first prayer she remembers saying was Hail Mary. The most significant influence in her life is her mother. Mrs. Kane has always been close to God but is “still learning to trust God because the future is unknown.”
When Mrs. Kane was a kid, she attended a Catholic school, so she has always been familiar with the setting. As she grew up, she knew she wanted to work in a Catholic school because she loved working with kids and wanted to help others grow academically and spiritually. As Mrs. Kane began working with kids on the weekends, she developed a passion for helping kids get closer to God. She says it's important for kids to be close to God because “All good things come from God. Being close to God helps us improve the world and see the good parts of life.” She also says, “Having faith gets you through the hard things in life.”
Mrs. Kane thinks the most important part of her job is to keep everyone safe, keep kids growing in faith and academics, and inspire people to be lifelong learners. Aside from that, however, Mrs. Kane does many things that help her students support the community and come closer to God. She organizes events that generously help organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House. Mrs. Kane also leads her staff and students in contributing to food pantries and clothing drives, supporting different missions of the Church, participating in community events, and helping others in need. According to Mrs. Kane, praying with her staff and students every morning is special because it helps deepen our relationship with God. She leads her students and teachers through her good example of patience, kindness, and tolerance.
The advice that she gives to young kids who want to work in a Catholic school is, “Just do it. If it's your calling, you have to answer that call.” Some of the pros of this job she listed are that she works with great people, a supportive environment, and great pastors.” The most important advice she gives is, “He never disappoints us. God is always with us. He never leaves us.” With this in mind, she has helped shape the lives of her students and teachers and bring them closer to God.