Joanna writes: Who pays for your education when you go back to school to get into a different area of work?

S. Ellen responds: Once a sister is professed, the religious community provides for her needs as anything she earns goes to the community. If a sister has discerned that she should go back to school to get into a different area of work she would discuss it with her leadership team contact sister and then put it into a budget request for education during the budget preparation cycle. If after mutual discernment it is agreed that the sister should return to school, the details of full/part time, which school, etc. are worked out together. Many times the sister will qualify for various scholarships that are available.

Joanna writes: Also, if you're just starting out, how do you pay off all your school loans? I read an article the other day . . . the average college grad has more than $30,000 in school loans at the end of their undergrad degree.

S. Mary Lee responds: In response to your question about student loans - we do have a policy that if the ONLY THING preventing a person from entering or being accepted as a candidate is a school loan, we would make arrangements with this woman about the paying of her debt once the person enters the Novitiate for as long as the woman is in the Congregation. It is really worked out on an individual basis. If the person leaves the Congregation, she resumes the responsibility of payment.