Amarillo—Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ Sister Stella Maris Hamann has been named Executive Director of the Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center, effective Monday, Jan. 24.
The announcement was made Dec. 8 by Bishop Patrick J. Zurek.
Sister Stella Maris replaces Linda Astuto, who served as Executive Director since March 12, 2014.
A native of Staten Island, NY, Sister Stella Maris is the daughter of Barbara Hamann and the late Patrick Hamann. While attending Catholic Schools that included religious sisters on the faculty, she began to think about being a woman religious. After she and her family moved to Florida when she was a teenager, Sister Stella Maris got involved in a Life Teen parish where she encountered the Lord as a personal God and began to discern religious life.
Sister Stella Maris earned a degree in Theology with a concentration in Catechetics and a minor in Accounting from Franciscan University of Steubenville. She joined the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ Community on Sept. 8, 2006 and professed Final Vows on Oct. 4, 2014.
Since professing her Final Vows, Sister Stella Maris has served as Director of Evangelization and Family Catechesis with the Santa Mariá de la Paz Catholic Community in Santa Fe. In her four years there, she was Director of the Religious Education Program, which included sacramental preparation, while facilitating a grief support group and a cancer support group.
Earlier this year, Sister Stella Maris was granted certification in Ignatian Spiritual Direction from Cenacle School of Spiritual Direction in Clearwater, Fla. On Dec. 17, Sister Stella Maris graduated from the Vocational Nursing program at Amarillo College.
“With great joy and Faith, we welcome Sister Stella Maris Hamann as executive director of the Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center,” said Bishop Zurek. “We wish her all the best as she begins this new position. We also thank Linda Astuto for her nearly eight years of service at the DeFalco Retreat Center. We are appreciative of all that she has accomplished, especially in overseeing the renovation of the retreat center and evaluating and implementing new programs during her time there.”
“I am grateful for this opportunity to lead the Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center following the hard work of Linda Astuto,” said Sister Stella Maris. “I pray that all the Faithful of the Diocese of Amarillo will find a spiritual refuge and home at the retreat center and come to visit in the new year.”
Learn more about the Bishop DeFalco Retreat Center by calling the center at 806-383-1811 or going online to bdrc.org.