Sister In The Spotlight: Sister Gail Trippett, CSJ

Sister Gail Trippett, CSJ, is the 5th member of NBSC to be elected Congregational Leader.

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet refer to their leader as the Congregational Director.

Sr. Gail was elected last July.

Sr. Gail, a cradle Catholic, was born in Gary, Indiana, although she says they never lived in Gary. She is the second-oldest of four siblings and the first girl born in the family. She and her sister are the only siblings remaining. Her father was in the Air Force, and her mother was a teacher.

Sr. Gail said that when they lived in places with Catholic schools, her parents would enroll her, and when there were no Catholic schools, they attended public schools. When I asked her to tell her vocation story, she said it all began at St. Mary’s school in Georgia. Her teacher read them the Lives of the Saints every day. These stories inspired her and led her to want to dedicate her life to God. Sr. Gail attended a public junior high school, and one of the teachers at the school was a Catholic sister. Sr. Gail was drawn to this sister and confided in her about her desire to become a Catholic Sister. This sister said she and her community would pray for her. She would meet a sister who lived in that community, and thank her for the prayers.

When she was older, she told her mom that she wanted to be a nun; her mom did not oppose the idea but told her she would have to graduate from college first. By the time she graduated from Spelman College, her ambition was to get married and have 4 children. God had other plans. The desire to enter religious life became very strong, and she told God she would give it a try. When she went to visit the Mother House, a one-day meeting was extended due to the accumulation of 22 inches of snow that had fallen during their stay. She was stranded for a week with the

sisters and no luggage.

The website of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet states, "The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet are a congregation of Catholic sisters." We, and those who share our charism and mission, are motivated in all things by our profound love of God and the dear neighbor. The spirituality of the Sisters of St. Joseph is centered on love, the central commandment of Jesus—a love that seeks to achieve unity among neighbors and between neighbors and God. Our life together in prayer and in community impels us to reach out to the dear neighbor, whoever they may be, whatever the need they might have.

Sr. Gail Trippett became very serious and said she is honored that God called her not only to lift her people but all

people. She is very humbled that God would use her in this way. Sr. Gail has been a teacher and principal in nu-

merous schools, primarily within the African American Catholic Community. She worked with students in the poor-

est county of the United States, Lowndes County, Alabama. Sr. Gail was also a Pastoral Associate and Parish Life

Coordinator for both St. Rita Catholic Church and Holy Angels Catholic Church simultaneously, in Indianapolis, IN.

On a recent visit to the St. Louis Mother House of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, I asked about the election of Sr. Gail Trippett to the position of Congregational Director. I was told to obtain a copy of the talk she gave about her vision for the congregation. This was why they voted for her.

Major tasks of CLT July Chapter 2025

I believe in the strength of our mission, and acknowledge CLT tasks have expanded from both/and to several/and. If elected, I will be a full-time representative, and I will relocate to St. Louis. My passion comes from the following perspective:

“We are the anawim, the Hebrew word meaning the remnant strong enough to remain faithful to God’s will, during challenging and difficult times.” With the Spirit alive and well, Jesus’ mission, animated in our charism, is poised to offer new visions for the next generation. Through engaging deep listening, discernment, addressing challenging questions, and addressing practical concerns, our journey can turn dreams into reality. Some challenging questions include:

1. As Shepherdesses during this time, “How are we called to smell like the Shepherd more deeply?” The answers can advance vocations, our vision, our Culture of consecrated living, and impact vibrant community life.

2. How can we explore our legacy will to the world together? Facilitating training opportunities that produce shared knowledge around forecasting, planning, and growing our assets in this complex financial environment is essential. How do we envision vibrant, sustainable communities for our aging and new sisters together? Utilizing partners like RCRI, my development training, our treasurers, our sisters, and more can provide valuable direction for this type of planning.

3. How do we strengthen organizational structures that keep the diverse face of God in St. Paul, St. Louis, and the International community growing together, while deepening our relationships as the Family of Joseph? My synodal training, ability to create system structures, and my work with diverse community leaders on grassroots initiatives can be an asset to this relationship-building process.

4. How do we galvanize CSJ energy around our Chapter goals of Justice and Interculturality to dramatically improve the lives of our dear neighbors? New dreams of hope can rise as our circle of partners grows through synodality. My retreat planning & staff development training can call forth mission animators.

5. How can we support uniting our CSJ women in formation in 45 countries? This can strengthen our future. Our interculturality goal can rise to a new level as we develop communication best practices throughout the global St. Joseph community. Thank you for the opportunity to share.