Holy Cross Ministries thankful for Sr. Veronica's service

Friday, Aug. 01, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — The last day for Sister Veronica Fajardo as part of the immigration team of Holy Cross Ministries in Utah was July 31.

Sr. Veronica arrived in Utah in 2011, thinking that she would be staying for just one year, a time that stretched to three years. Now she plans to return to school to obtain a master’s degree in social work and public administration so she can continue her ministry of advocating for immigrants and the poor.

Born and raised in Nicaragua, Sr. Veronica moved with her family to the United States when her country was going to war. After deciding to enter the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, she was in North Carolina and after that she was sent to Africa as part of her ministry. She made her perpetual vows July 16, 2011.

“She is very passionate about what she does; she is very caring for the people that she serves,” said Holy Cross Sister Suzanne Brennan, president and executive director of Holy Cross Ministries in Salt Lake City, where Sr. Veronica has worked for the past three years. “In order to best use her talents, she has determined that it was best for her to go back to school in social work and public administration.”

Sr. Suzanne said that the desire to be able to change policies is what motivated Sr. Veronica to pursue more studies.

“It is because of her desire to also change how people are treated and how they should be treated that she wants to prepare herself more,” Sr. Suzanne said. “She is very dynamic in her approach to working with the people, and in order to achieve some changes in the world in the way people are treated, she made this decision.”

Sr. Veronica said that it took some time to discern her decision to return to school.

“Coming to this point took a while. I had to discern where it was that God was guiding me. For a while I was thinking that I was going to study law; but then thinking about the future of the Congregation, I decided to go for social work and public administration,” she said.

She hopes that the advanced education will help her to improve the work that was started here in Salt Lake City.

“Social work is very broad, so I hope I will be able to help the families not just with immigration issues but instead with  very broad types of issues – health, education, health care, etc.,” Sr. Veronica said.

She has enjoyed her time in Utah and is sure that the good work that has been done will continue, she said. 

“This time here has been a very great blessing; being here in the offices and also in Saints Peter and Paul Parish. I am very grateful for being able to share my gifts. I don’t know yet if I will be coming back or not, but I am open [to the possibility.] I hope the seeds that were planted here will give fruits,” she said, adding that those with whom she worked at Holy Cross Ministries Utah are “very joyful people. They are also very committed to helping the people in the community. They reach out to those in need, and there are many people who are in need.”