Heritage Society Member Recalls Lifelong Influence of Adrian Dominican Sisters
Like so many benefactors of the Adrian Dominican Congregation, Valerie "Val" Moulé has turned her lifelong connection to the Adrian Dominican Sisters into a life of service and generosity.
Val's connection began in sixth grade. She was a public school student, but her next-door neighbors attended Presentation Grade School in Detroit. "I felt very drawn," she said. "I loved gong to Mass on Sunday - I loved the Latin and sometimes walked by myself to daily Mass. I asked my parents and they were surprised but supportive." She was taught by Adrian Dominican Sisters through eighth grade and then as a student at Rosary High School in Detroit from 1966 to 1970.
"Even though it has been 50 years since I graduated from high school, the teaching and friendship of Adrian Dominican Sisters still serve as a major influence in my life," Val said. Among her Adrian Dominican teachers were Sister JoAnn Lucas, OP, who helped her transition from public to parochial school; Mary Marxen, formerly Sister Felix, who "brought absolute joy" to her study of music; and Sister Winifred (Mary Paulinus) Collins, OP, who taught evolution "in a subtle way that showed God's hand in every step of the process." From Sister Patricia (Misericordia) Johnson, OP, Val learned how to write research papers - a skill she has used throughout her life.
Val also has fond memories of Sister Joan (Edmund Marie) Sullivan, OP, her homeroom teacher and Sisters Mary Rose Hochandal, OP, and Willard Regan, OP, principals. Over the years, she has also come to know Sisters Maria Romero, OP; Maria Goretti Browne, OP; and Helen Sohn, OP.
Val took the influence of her Adrian Dominican teachers and friends with her as she went to San Francisco State University to earn a bachelor's degree in clinical science and medical technology and a master's degree in clinical science. She went on to join the Navy, earning a master's degree in management at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California, and a master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
During her 20-year career with the Navy, Val worked in a number of assignments. "Roles were very limited for women," she said. "We couldn't go on ships. They gave us a variety of assignments." For Val, these included intelligence, recruiting, base management, and logistics. As a civilian, she worked for the Naval Postgraduate School as business manager and retired in 2016.
Val's work in the Navy included positions of leadership. For example, she was executive officer - second in command - at Navy Recruiting in Los Angeles. About 250 sailors reported to her, she said. "I had to make a lot of decisions, while keeping up a fun and human atmosphere." Val credits leadership skills to her experience at Rosary High School, an all-girls school where the girls filled all of the leadership roles.
Val lives in Monterey, California, where she is active in her parish, San Carlos Cathedral. She attributes her strong faith and involvement to the Adrian Dominican Sisters. "Rather than just stating what is right and wrong and listing all the rules, the focus was on faith in action," she said. "We did not just talk about 'love thy neighbor.' We volunteered at soup kitchens, visited and played softball against women prisoners, donated textbooks to inner-city schools, and raised funds for charitable causes."
As a member of the Heritage Society, Val continues that spirit of generosity to the Congregation. Through planned giving, Heritage Society members continue to make a difference long after they have left this world for the next. Planned giving options include wills, charitable bequests, or insurance policies. For information, contact Amy Palmer, Director of Development, at 517-266-3480 or [email protected] .
