[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 52 (Wednesday, April 21, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E594-E595]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  PAYING TRIBUTE TO SR. MARGARET ``PEG'' DOLAN, R.S.H.M. ON THE 50TH 
  ANNIVERSARY OF HER ORDINATION IN THE RELIGIOUS SACRED HEART OF MARY

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                           HON. MAXINE WATERS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 21, 2004

  Ms. WATERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and pay tribute to one 
of my most distinguished constituents, Sr. Margaret ``Peg'' Dolan, 
R.S.H.M. I commend her to my colleagues and thank her for her service 
to Loyola Marymount University, to Los Angeles, and

[[Page E595]]

to our Nation. Last Friday, April 16th, Sister Peg, who currently 
serves as the Alumni Chaplain at Loyola Marymount, celebrated her 
golden jubilee, the 50th anniversary of taking her vows in the order 
known as the Religious Sacred Heart of Mary. Sister Peg has been a 
unique link to Loyola Marymount's history, having been present on the 
campus since the historic merger of Marymount and Loyola. Her many 
years at LMU have been extraordinary.
  Born and raised in the Bronx, Sr. Peg grew up in a diverse 
neighborhood of Irish Catholics, Jewish, Italian, and German families. 
Her parents had come to the United States from Ireland. Her father 
worked two jobs to put all five kids through Catholic school and died 
at the age of 54. Her mother lived a long life and spent many hours 
caring for sick neighbors along with her five children.
  In 1952 when she graduated from high school, Sister Peg chose to 
enter the Religious Sacred Heart of Mary. She studied Scripture, 
theology, and philosophy at Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY for two 
years. After taking her vows in 1954, she moved to California to study 
History at Marymount College. In 1957, she earned a teaching credential 
and began teaching at a boarding school also called Marymount in Santa 
Barbara.
  In 1973, Sr. Peg enrolled at Loyola Marymount University to complete 
a Master's Degree in Counseling while serving as a Counselor in 
Training. She was such a big hit with the students that, at the end of 
that year, the residence hall advisors asked the administration to find 
her a job. She took a part-time position in Student Affairs at Loyola 
Marymount. In 1975, after she earned a Master's Degree in Applied 
Spirituality, Sister Peg joined the LMU Campus Ministry team as 
Chaplain where she did retreat work and counseling.
  In 1985, she was promoted to Director and became the moderator of 
Gryphon Circle, one of five major service groups for students at LMU. 
In 1989, because of her interest in doing even more one-on-one 
counseling, Sr. Peg resigned her position as Director and returned to 
the Campus Ministry. In 1996, she accepted the invitation from the 
president of LMU to become Alumni Chaplain.

  Reaching out to Loyola Marymount alumni and their families, Sr. Peg 
single-handedly launched the Alumni for Others program where students, 
alumni and friends spend a day working together on a community service 
project. Currently in its fifth year, the program's projects have 
included the painting and repairing of inner city schools and fixing 
homes for low-income elderly residents in such areas as South Central 
Los Angeles Watts, East Los Angeles and the Hilo River Reservation in 
Arizona. Since the program's inception, more than a thousand people 
have volunteered.
  In recent years, the Alumni for Others program has directed its focus 
toward assisting inner city schools in need. After St. Columbkille 
School in South Central Los Angeles had closed its seventh and eighth 
grades due to financial constraints, Sister Peg spearheaded a 
development committee to reopen the classes and build a new library, 
raising over $800,000. Construction of the new library began last June.
  Mr. Speaker, Sister ``Peg'' Dolan has generously offered support and 
wise counsel to students, alumni, fellow chaplains, fellow staff 
members, and all members of the Loyola Marymount community. She has 
dedicated her life to community service and counseling and has made a 
tremendous contribution to our community. I am pleased to commend and 
thank her for her outstanding work, and look forward to many more years 
of her service.
    




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