Diana Wall, rscj, was presented the special St Madeleine Sophie Award on behalf of the Rosary Sacred Heart Alumnae Association, New Orleans. October 21, 2006. Many of her friends and rscj sisters were present with her.

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award

This award is presented to a religious of the Sacred Heart who has contributed so very much to the needs of the students of the Rosary.
Sr. Diana is an alumna of our Sacred Heart school in San Francisco where she was student body president and received their alumni award for generous service. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing, a master’s degree in business administration and is a candidate for her master’s degree in Religious studies from Loyola University in New Orleans. Before entering the convent she worked in healthcare and business as she oversaw the operations of her family’s medical and real estate entities. She brought that expertise to the Rosary during her years here from 2001- 2005. She served as Capital Campaign director for our Mater Admirabilis campus working directly with our Board of Trustees maneuvering through the City Planning process and securing funding for the project. She is currently assisting the Society of the Sacred heart facilitating and implementing their elder care goals and chairs the Property Committee charged with the disposition of the property at Kenwood Convent of the Sacred Heart in Albany, New York drawing on her background in both business and health care.

To quote Sr. Conaghan: “her enthusiasm for the development office was boundless. She could dream up the most fantastic creations for fund raising and then execute every detail even until one o’clock in the morning!”Her friend and cohort, Missy Metcalf said, “What an amazing force of talent, dedication, vision, vigor, humor and humility we were blessed with toward acquiring the land and developing the Mater Campus. She led the effort to secure the necessary approvals from the Landmarks Commission, the City Planning Commission and the city Council. There was no road map for what needed to be done, but she figured it out and interfaced with everyone involved in the process. She stayed up late into the night to meet deadlines for the many applications for permits and fundraisers needed to raise the monies to fund the project. She was the focal point for everyone involved in the move to make our beautiful new campus a reality.

On behalf of the Rosary Sacred Heart Alumnae Association please accept our thanks and our appreciation and our St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award.

Diana Wall, rscj, in response to receiving the St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award: Oct. 21, 2006.

I am humbled!  To be the recipient of the St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award from the Rosary Alumnae Association and to be honored this weekend along side such wonderful, dedicated and generous women such as Sandra Ellender, Catherine Howard and Suzanne Thomas by y’all.

I would also like to acknowledge their families especially their husbands - S.E., Mike and Bob - for sharing them with us during their years of leadership in envisioning, fundraising and finally developing this Mater Admirabilis Campus.  Each of these ladies set the course and stayed the course thorough the numerous obstacles and challenges that were presented along the way … It was quite the four-year convoluted journey!

It is indeed a delight to be here with all of you alumnae in this beautiful space and to see the vision that we all imagined finally come to fruition.  This was truly a labor of love by a lot of people.  But these women spent numerous hours conceptually developing and figuring out how to financial pay for this kindergarten through forth grade age-appropriate campus. In fact, I think Suzanne actually had an office at the Rosary campus next to Sr. Miller’s office during academic year 2001 to 2003.  We also must acknowledge their employers, especially the Whitney Bank who allowed Suzanne to basically work at the Rosary.  We owe them a lot of gratitude as well for their flexibility during these years.

I’d like to thank several women who were, as well, instrumental in bringing this campus to bear fruit namely Missy Metcalf and Kay Favrot.  Both of whom remain tenacious in seeing this Capital Campaign to completion. So if you haven’t had an opportunity to help support this development effort, then please think about, prayer over it and then pray again, then do what you can, as there is still more to raise to meet the goal.  Missy worked endlessly seeing this project move from the architectural conceptual design phase through the Historical and Preservation communities and finally through the City Council for development approval.  Her husband, Bill was as well right there supporting her through the Historical District challenges – and there were quite a few. It was indeed a “moving target” to use the words Missy frequently used to characterize this project during this tenuous time.  Kay, what can I say about Kay and Tim Favrot except that they have worked tirelessly in raising the funds to help pay for this new school and continue to do so. They have literally given of their time, talent and treasure…  Some of you may know, and some of you do not, but Kay was daily in the Campaign office working head to head and shoulder to shoulder with me.  An incredible outcome from this time spent together was the development of a life-long, wonderfully enriching friendship with her.  Today, I count her among one of my closest confidants – someone that I can pick the conversation up right where we last left off.

Living here in New Orleans has indeed been a highlight in my life - especially the ability to get to develop relationships with such wonderfully warm and accepting women and men.  I came away with a true sense of what “southern hospitality” is and the strength of the culture.  Y’all are truly “steel magnolias” – beautiful and strong and it will be because of you that New Orleans will rise again.  

Thank you for this honor!  But, it is I, who honor each of you as you continue the rebuilding efforts here within your families, at the Rosary and within New Orleans.  Know and trust in our continued prayers, as Religious of the Sacred Heart for y’all and for your beloved city! 

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Diana Wall, rscj, is currently living in the Kenwood community and serving on the Eldercare Transition Team for the United States Province.