Jubilarian 70 Years: Venerini Sister Hilda Ponte

Venerini Sister Hilda Ponte is celebrating her 90th birthday and her 70th anniversary of religious profession this month with a Mass and lunch with her community and family. She was born on June 11, 1933, in Providence.
Sister Hilda entered the Religious Venerini Sisters in September 1950 and their novitiate on Sept. 1, 1951. She made her first profession on Sept. 12, 1953, and professed her final vows on Aug. 19, 1959.
She has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in counseling, both from Anna Maria College. She also has a certificate of advanced graduate studies from Assumption College.
Sister Hilda taught grades 5-8 in Worcester, Fitchburg, Leominster, Pittsfield and Schenectady, New York, and was principal at St. Anthony Elementary School in Fitchburg.
She was also a retreat director at the House of Prayer in South Darthmouth, and was assistant director of a drug rehabilitation center in Schenectady and assistant director of the Community Maternity Center, a program of the Diocese of Albany, New York. In addition, she was a formation director for the Venerini Sisters and at the House of Affirmation in Whitinsville and director of formation consultation services at Sabbath Center in Attleboro.
From 1993-2001 she was regional coordinator of the Venerini Council in the United States, from 2001-2007 a member of the Venerini congregation’s General Council in Rome and from 2009-2017 United States provincial.
She has been retired since 2017 and now lives at Notre Dame Long Term Care Center in Worcester.