November 15, 2021
By Bella Gamboa
Dr. Eileen Maggiore is a very educated and successful woman who left her prosperous profession to follow the call of God. In her profession as a medical technologist, she saw and experienced a lot: The good, the bad, and the ugly. After seeing people pass, she would wonder, “Did they know Jesus?” She realized she was not being fulfilled as a medical technologist, so she decided to serve the Lord through the church. She began by teaching Catechism classes and felt a calling to teach. In 1997, she was actively discerning whether or not she would go for her master's degree in teaching. However, the Deacon of her parish suggested that she should try pursuing a degree in Pastoral Studies, so she did. In May of 2020, she graduated from Catholic Theological Union with a Doctorate in Ministry. She chose to leave her profession of saving lives to start a new profession in saving souls.
“I would simply want the girls to know how much God loves them and that His mercy and grace is for the asking!”
-Dr. Maggiore
Today, when teaching, she wants to connect her students with the Lord. Her favorite part about teaching this subject is when there is an AHA moment and the student feels God’s presence and truly connects with Him. She loves scripture and enjoys using it in her classroom to make God present in her students' lives. In order to teach effectively, Dr. Maggiore believes that connecting with her students is of the utmost importance. She respects them and tries to learn about her students in order to understand them as people. Whenever they talk to her, she really tries to listen open-heartedly and absorb everything they have to say. She is moderating S.A.D.D (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and working on a new project with one of the students that will be published soon!
I asked Ms. Maggiore some other questions on a more personal level and her responses really opened my eyes and helped me to know her better as a person. I hope you all enjoy these responses and find them interesting.
Q: Describe yourself in a few words?
EM: I am a beloved child of God, first and foremost. I am a wife of 35 years, a mom of 5, a grandmother to 13, and a sister to 8. I am also a daughter who is blessed to have both of my parents alive with me today! God is good!
Q: How do you connect to your faith?
EM: I connect to my faith through personal prayer, family prayer, and communal prayer. I LOVE Eucharistic Adoration, there is such a sense of peace. I love praying with my family and watching my little grandkids make the Sign of the Cross. I love worshiping with the Res community, as well as my church parish. I am a lecturer at my parish and it's one of my most favorite things to do.
Q: Have you ever had trouble with your faith over the years?
EM: Like many teenagers, there was a time when I wasn’t living to the teaching of the church and I didn’t feel as close to the church, but I always prayed. Even when I felt the most alone. In the lowest points of my life, I always prayed. Even when I felt God wasn’t there, He was always there. It was because of my prayer and reception of the Eucharist, that God called me back to Him and I went.
Q: What would you like to say to the people that can’t find or build a connection to God?
EM: I would say look to the good. Look to the true and the beautiful. Look to what is good and ask yourself, “Why is it good?” If you put yourself in a position to find God, you will find Him in good things and good people. STARGAZE and you will find Him.
Q: What is the most important thing for students to know about God?
EM: The most important thing is that HE LOVES YOU, HE LOVES YOU, HE LOVES YOU, and YOU ARE WORTHY OF THAT LOVE!
Q: What is something you want to say to all of the students?
EM: I hope they know that I truly care about who they are as people and the young women they are coming into being. I love watching them flourish. I want them to know our past mistakes do not define us… I just hope they know that... that no matter what happens... just to seek forgiveness from God!