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April 13, 2016

Bishop Terry R. LaValley has announced that St. Joseph Sister Jennifer Votraw, will be leaving her position as Sr. Jennifer VotrawChancellor and Delegate to Pastoral Ministers to assume duties as Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph’s Motherhouse in Watertown.  Sister Jennifer has served in diocesan administration positions since 1984.

“Sister Jennifer has generously served our diocese in administrative positions and her talents and energy have brought many blessings to our diocese,” said Bishop Terry R. LaValley.  “In her most recent role as Chancellor and Delegate to Pastoral Ministers, she has provided valuable and much needed service to our diocese,” continued Bishop LaValley.  “Sister Jennifer brought a wealth of know-how and experience from her life as an educator and applied them well to give support to our Commissioned Lay Ministers and to our staff who maintain our diocesan archives.  Sister is first and foremost a teacher and mentor.”

Sister Jennifer was born in Au Sable Forks and attended Holy Name School and Au Sable Forks High School.  She entered religious life in 1967, received her habit in 1968, and professed her final vows in 1975.  Sister Jennifer continued her education at Mater Dei College and received her bachelor’s degree from SUNY Plattsburgh, a Master of Arts degree in English from SUNY Potsdam, and a Master’s degree in Counseling and Human Development at Villanova University. 

Sister Jennifer taught at Holy Family School, Watertown; Sacred Heart School, Watertown; St. Joseph’s School, Dannemora, and again at Holy Family. 

She served as school administrator at Holy Family School, Watertown and St. Andrew’s School, Norwood before becoming Assistant Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Ogdensburg, a position in which she served from 1984 to 1989.

From 1989 to 1997, Sister Jennifer served as Major Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph.  Upon completing two terms as Major Superior, Sister Jennifer served as the Director of the Catholic School Administrators Association of New York State.

In 1998, Bishop Paul Loverde created the Diocesan Planning Office and the position of Director of Planning, and appointed Sister Jennifer to that position.  In 2004, Bishop Cunningham appointed Sister Jennifer Vice Chancellor of the Diocese, and gave her additional responsibilities as spokesperson of the Diocese and Director of the Department of Communications.  Sister Jennifer continued to serve as Director of Planning in conjunction with these new duties.

First woman Chancellor
In a historical appointment, Bishop Cunningham appointed Sister Jennifer as the first woman Chancellor of the Diocese on June 28, 2006.  Sister continued to serve as Director of Planning and Communications and diocesan spokesperson.  In 2014, Sister Jennifer took on additional duties as Delegate to Pastoral Ministers.

Sister Jennifer will assume her duties as Superior of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Watertown on September 1, 2016.  In appointing Sister Jennifer to this position, Sister Mary Eamon Lyng, Major Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph said, “I am very fortunate to have someone with such impressive credentials and vast experience to serve the Motherhouse community.  We are blessed to have such a competent, generous, and loving superior. Sister's faithfulness to daily prayer, her gentleness, her ability to listen, her warmth, her organization skills and good sense of humor will be a gift to our Sisters as she nurtures and cares for each of the Sisters' needs spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially.  Sister Jennifer knows and loves the Sisters. 

I am deeply grateful to Sister Jennifer for her response to serve as the Motherhouse Superior.  She is and will continue to be a blessing for our community.”

In addition to official duties for the Diocese, Sister Jennifer has served as a member of the Chief Administrators of Catholic Education for the National Catholic Education Association, the diocesan Finance Council, Board of Directors for Catholic Charities, Board of Trustees for Immaculate Heart Central High School the Board of Trustees of Mater Dei College, New York State Catholic Conference Steering Committee, Diocesan Pastoral Council, New York State Commissioner’s Non-Public School Advisory Committee, and the Episcopal Council.

“Sister Jennifer’s record of service and faithful leadership speaks for itself,” commented Bishop LaValley.  “There are big shoes to be filled in Ogdensburg as Sister assumes her new duties in Watertown.  I am most grateful for all Sister Jennifer has done for us.  The words of the Gospel are so appropriate here:  ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’  Our prayers, love, and gratitude go out to Sister Jennifer.”

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