Ona B. Bessette

Ona B. Bessette

Ona B. Bessette was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, USA.  She first met the Sisters of the Congregation de Notre Dame as a student at Waterbury Catholic High School.  Sister Ona received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT in 1977.  After teaching for two years, she entered the Congregation and made first profession in 1982. 

Sister Ona earned a Masters of Arts degree in Education from the University of Northern Arizona (Flagstaff, AZ) in 1992 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Administration and Supervision from Fordham University (New York, NY) in 2003. For nearly thirty years, Sister Ona was a science teacher and administrator in the schools of the Congregation.   She ministered in schools from New York City to the Navajo Nation in Arizona. In 2010, she became the Director of Educational Services for the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers of North America, a position she held for six years.  During this time, she worked with educators and students across the United States, in Australia, Ireland, South Africa, South America and India.

In 2013, Sister Ona was elected as a Part-time Councillor in Blessed Sacrament Province (USA) and in 2016 she was elected to the General Council of the Congregation.  Sr. Ona was elected Congregation Leader in 2021.