Donor Profile: Joe O’Hare
A Chance Meeting Becomes a Life-long Connection
Joe O’Hare met the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary over 50 years ago while visiting Chicago. During his stay, he took the opportunity to visit some of the city’s parochial schools for a research project for his degree at LaSalle College in Philadelphia. He was examining how parochial schools offered a racially diverse environment for their students and provided neighborhood stability.
Our Lady of Angels School on Chicago’s west side was part of a neighborhood in transition at the time. Joe was interested in including the school in his research for a variety of reasons. He shares that he had possessed some knowledge of the BVMs prior to meeting them officially . . . “I was aware of their reputation as outstanding educators and their involvement in social justice issues.” What he didn’t know at the time was that a meeting with Principal Bertilla Barrett, BVM would become a catalyst for life-long friendships and mutual support.
Joe reflects on his first impression of Bertilla and remembers her as “welcoming, knowledgeable . . . with a great sense of dedication for her work.”
Joe and Bertilla became fast friends and kept in touch over the years. Eight years after that initial meeting, Joe visited Bertilla at Holy Name Cathedral Convent in Chicago. There, he met BVM Virginia (Flocella) Hughes. Virginia was preparing to move to Washington, D.C., for religious education work. Since Joe is a D.C. native and has lived in the area most of his life, he became an important friend for Virginia as she settled into her new location. Later, Joe was able to visit her during her retirement at Wright Hall, a BVM residence in Chicago.
Joe recalls, “The Wright Hall community was a pleasure to visit. I was also fortunate in getting to know BVMs Mary Johnetta Monahan and Dorothy (James Margaret) Hollahan. On one occasion, I attended Sunday Mass in the chapel. Some of the sisters came up to me afterward and said it was a nice addition to have a ‘deep male voice added to the singing.’”
Throughout his life, Joe has been fortunate to make connections with many communities of religious women but says, “the BVMs are closest to my heart . . . I’ve been blessed by their friendship and support.”
Joe has been giving back to the BVM mission and ministry for more than 20 years. As a donor, Joe has made regular direct cash donations. He began looking for other ways to continue his support and started gifting stock shares.
“By transferring stock to the community, I could avoid taxes with any capital gains, if selling shares. At the same time, BVMs obtain full benefit from selling any stock they receive. As a non-profit, they have no obligation for taxes either. The same will hold true for contributions from an IRA account, when required to start making withdrawals.” Joe has also requested that memorial donations for family members be made to the BVMs.
Like many BVMs, Joe has had a career in education. Although he lives far from them, a connection to the life and mission is still strong as he feels his work “aligns with the endeavors of the BVMs.”
One of the things Joe enjoys most about being a donor is sharing in the BVM ministries—including prayer—and being part of their long history of charity. “I like to say that I was not taught by BVMs in a classroom, but I was educated by their faithful witness and example.”
This story was featured in:
WINTER 2023: Many Faces, One HEART
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