EAST PROVIDENCE — As St. Mary Academy – Bay View begins its 144th year of educating young women in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, Sister Marybeth Beretta will begin serving as the newly-appointed president. Like the many women who came before her, Sister Beretta is passionate about educating women to serve as leaders of their communities and brings with her many years of experience in Catholic school administration.
“It’s truly a privilege to walk in the footsteps of the pioneering women who started this school,” she told Rhode Island Catholic during an interview at the school in August. “Our tumultuous and divided world of today is so in need of women that are prepared not only academically, but women who are grounded in the gospel values this school was built on.”
Her own exposure to the Sisters of Mercy began at Salve Regina University, where she witnessed their work in action while receiving her undergraduate degree. The sisters’ commitment to serving and advocating for society’s most vulnerable members motivated her to continue their mission after college by participating in a year of volunteer service in Belize, Central America.
“I was inspired by the daily example of the Sisters of Mercy and the atmosphere of the college community as a whole,” she said. “My four years at Salve definitely prepared me academically, but, more importantly, those years imbued in me the core values of Mercy – respect, integrity, justice, compassion and service. I learned to see the needs of others through a different lens, a more merciful lens.”
Following her year of service in Central America, Sister Beretta had her first introduction to the Bay View community when she was hired as business manager in 1987. In 1991, she was hired by Brother Jerome Corrigan to work in the business office of La Salle Academy, where she would remain for 22 years, eventually attaining the position of Vice President of Finance and Operations. Her experience at La Salle was formative not only for her commitment to Catholic education, but also for the knowledge and experience she gained working with the school administration and board of trustees.
“My experience at La Salle Academy is what developed and nurtured my passion for Catholic education,” she said. “In those 22 years, I had the privileged opportunity of working with three different presidents who brought varied gifts of successful leadership style to the school. It was truly a wonderful opportunity to work with the Christian Brothers for all those years. They have provided me with invaluable experience that has certainly influenced my professional career in education.”
In 2013, Sister Beretta left Rhode Island to become a member of the Mid-Atlantic Community of the Sisters of Mercy and serve as dean of students at Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School in Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania. There, she held her first position working directly with students, faculty and parents, an experience she said was helpful for preparing her to return to Bay View this year.
As she continues the Mercy education tradition at St. Mary Academy – Bay View, Sister Beretta looks forward to bringing her expertise in financial administration and strategic planning to the school and working collaboratively with all constituents to continue the school’s legacy. Her most important priority, however, is her commitment to continuing to provide an education that focuses on the development of the whole student and combines Mercy values, comprehensive curricular and co-curricular offerings and opportunities in community service to create a unique education for girls who attend Bay View.
“This is the core of what distinguishes our students as capable and compassionate leaders who have a global perspective and compassion vision,” she said. “My hope is that they will be agents of transformation in the world today.”
