[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 124 (Thursday, July 9, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E620-E621]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE LIFE OF SISTER PAMELA MARIE BUGANSKI

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 9, 2020

  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor and celebrate the 
transformational life of Sister Pamela Marie Buganski. Hailing from 
Toledo, Ohio's Old Orchard neighborhood, Sister Pamela began her 
service to the Toledo community in 1975. For forty-five long years, she 
dedicated her life in service to her religious community, embracing the 
poor and needy in communities across Northern Ohio, Guatemala, Papua 
New Guinea, Mexico, and Texas.
  I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to her parents, Dr. Raymond 
and Ruth Buganski; her four sisters Cynthia, Lynn, Laura, and Joan; her 
five brothers Mark, Joseph, Robert, David, and Michael; and her 
numerous nieces and nephews.
  Most recently I had the honor of meeting Sister Pamela again during 
my visit to the U.S. Southern Border with the Congressional Hispanic 
Caucus in January 2020. I was so impressed by her dedication to help 
those struggling to survive in the face of dire circumstances. She 
stood at the edge of freedom and hope for them. Many of those detained 
had traveled thousands of miles to the U.S. border to seek refuge only 
to find the passage blocked by the Trump Administration's immoral 
``Remain in Mexico'' policy. What we saw were families fleeing violence 
forced to live in squalor in the outskirts of our country by a broken 
immigration system that has little regard for the human condition. She 
bore witness to the anguish, misery, illness, and desperation. Sister 
Pamela recognized that we are all truly God's children. She treated 
everyone who crossed her path with the love and respect endowed to them 
by our Creator.
  Sister Pamela was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1956 and her family 
eventually moved to Toledo, OH. There she attended St. Pius and Notre 
Dame Academy and eventually entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1975, 
professing her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in 1978.
  She pursued graduate studies at the University of Dayton and the 
University of Notre Dame. Recognizing the importance of investing in 
our nation's youth, she dedicated twelve years of her life teaching at 
junior high schools across Northwestern Ohio and then another ten years 
teaching math and computer science at St. Mary High School and Notre 
Dame Academy.
  Sister Pamela's deep devotion to her faith and service took her on 
three mission trips, one to Papua New Guinea and two to Guatemala. 
After studying Spanish, Sister Pamela's drive to support social justice 
initiatives and marginalized communities brought her to Texas.
  Here, she helped devastated communities after Hurricane Harvey and 
was accredited by CLINIC to advocate for those seeking refuge at the 
U.S.'s Southern border. Her sister Cynthia described her best as 
someone who ``was a genuine caregiver from the beginning . . . she 
could bring calm to chaos''.
  On behalf of so many grateful communities in Northern Ohio and across 
our hemisphere,

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I express deepest gratitude for the precious life of Sister Pamela. Let 
her life serve as an example to all during this especially challenging 
time. May her spirit and prophetic legacy inspire a humane path forward 
for all people who seek liberty.

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