Sister Eileen Rush, SSJ
Music

Sister Eileen, a Sister of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, brings a wealth of experience and credentials to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Sister received her Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Chestnut Hill College with additional studies at the University of the Arts, Philadelphia. She also has a Masters degree in Elementary/Multicultural Education from Eastern University.

Some of sister’s Postgraduate studies include coursework at the University of Utah and most recently at the University of Notre Dame. Certified in Elementary and Music Education in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, sister is also a member of the following organizations: National Catholic Educators Association (NCEA), Music Educators National Conference (MENC), New Jersey Music Educators (NJMEA), National Pastoral Musicians (NPM), Kappa Gamma Pi, and the Voice Care Network. In 2005 and 2002 sister was nominated to Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers.

With this rich background, Sister Eileen has been able to offer her gifts and talents to several schools in the tri-state area. Sister has taught third grade at St. Helena in the Olney section of Philadelphia and fifth grade at Saint Martin de Porres (formerly St. Columba) School in North Philadelphia. She has also served in the Newark diocese as a third grade teacher at St. John the Baptist School in Hillsdale, New Jersey.

Missioned by her congregation to Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in September 1996, Sister Eileen responded to the school’s need for a general music teacher. As part of her duties, sister suggested the implementation of a school prayer room. This ministry, affectionately known as “Heart Haven”, was warmly embraced by Principal Mary Ann Figura and eventually earned the Trenton Diocese’s Best Practice Award in 1998. Sister Eileen facilitated the prayer room until June of 2001. At that time, sister surrendered the position of “prayer teacher” in order to introduce this ministry to other Catholic school communities across the country. Sister has introduced the prayer room ministry model to Catholic school teachers in the Diocese of Camden, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Virginia Beach.

Currently sister’s extracurricular school responsibilities include serving as the school liturgist, assisting with sacramental preparations, and acting as director of the Christmas and spring musicals. Sister Eileen is the Youth Music Ministry Director for Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. She is active in numerous parish functions, namely the Mother of Mercy Jail and Prison Ministry Team.

A seasoned public speaker, sister has presented original reflections [featuring storytelling, scripture, and song], retreats, and keynote presentations in the dioceses of Baltimore, Camden, Cincinnati, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Trenton, Virginia Beach, and Wichita. Sister has served as a national spokesperson for project SOAR (Support Our Aging Religious) in Washington, D.C. and continues to be involved with Catholic Peace Fellowship, the Trenton diocese’s Office for Consecrated Life, and the Sister of Saint Joseph Associates.

Sister Eileen’s personal mission statement echoes the words of poet Edwina Gately: “God has given me a song to sing. My song calls people back to God as lover. My song invites them to see the compassionate face of God.” Sister Eileen considers it a privilege to sing with the children, parents, and teachers of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. “May all be one.”