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Nun Has Calling to Serve Through Culinary Arts

January 14, 2026

Posted by �Թ���-Forest Park in Programs and Pathways 

Sister M. Stephanina Newell doesn’t know exactly what comes next. She says it isn’t for her to know. Through Mother Superior, God will decide where she is needed next.

For now, Newell has been asked to study culinary arts at �Թ���. After she graduates, she’ll likely be assigned to lead a kitchen at one of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George’s properties.

“That’s the thing about religious life,” Newell said. “We prepare, and then close to the time, Mother says where she needs you.”

Newell, 54, joined the order straight out of college 30 years ago. Since then, she has served in several roles. She worked as a business manager at a daycare run by the order. She served as a formator, helping teenage girls and young women learn about religious orders. She formed a development department for the order and served as a secretary for the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious in Washington, D.C., where she lived in the Vatican embassy.

Before being called to the St. Louis area, she was a missionary in Cuba. She spent nine years on the island helping people practice Christianity.

“It was beautiful and difficult,” Newell said. “I was sent there to start a mission, to serve the bishop there and to do catechesis, to impart the faith to the Cuban people. They have a beautiful faith even though their faith has been squelched by the powers there.

“Their simple faith was an inspiration to those of us who have been born into it. Their eagerness and openness to want to learn more about God was something that gave us energy.”

About three years ago, she returned to Alton, where her order is headquartered. Three months later, she was sent to Bridgeton to serve as the IT director for the Mother of Good Counsel Home. Director is a strong word, she said, because she is the only person who handles IT at the facility and the first person to hold the position.

Newell remains in that role while attending �Թ���. When it is time to move to her next assignment, another sister will take over the IT work.

Finding Confidence in the Kitchen

Throughout her travels, Newell picked up ideas about cuisine and cooking. That experience, along with six years of restaurant work during high school and college, helped prepare her for culinary training.

It also gave her a real-world connection to what she is learning at �Թ���: different cuisines, cooking styles and techniques.

That variety is one of the strengths of �Թ���’s culinary arts program. By the time students earn their associate in applied science degree, they have practiced a wide range of techniques and approaches to cooking.

Jeffrey Seaborn, an adjunct faculty member in �Թ���’s culinary program, has taught Newell in two culinary lab classes. He said she brings energy, curiosity and care to the classroom.

“It is quite evident that sister has a passion for learning and a passion for the culinary industry,” Seaborn said. “Her energy in class is at a high level and is continuously panning the entire classroom for knowledge. She arrives early to set her station and is always willing to help with things that are not assigned to her. It is a joy to have her in my classroom.”

One of the most helpful lessons Newell has learned from Seaborn is how to stay calm in pressure-filled moments. Her next calling may not be in a five-star restaurant, but it will still come with challenges.

Learning From Experienced Culinary Instructors

�Թ��� culinary arts instructors bring decades of real-world experience from the hospitality field. They have worked in restaurants, hotels, country clubs and other food service settings, so they understand what students may see after graduation.

Those instructors also stay connected with culinary and hospitality professionals in the St. Louis region and beyond. That network can help students learn about job opportunities, career paths and the expectations of the field.

�Թ��� also gives students access to current culinary tools and equipment, helping them practice with the kind of gear they may use in future jobs. The culinary arts space is undergoing major renovations to classrooms and kitchens, creating updated spaces where students can continue to build their skills.

The program is also adding more evening classes to help students who work during the day.

Building Community Through Culinary Arts

Fellow culinary student Angelina Ayers, 22, said she was thrilled when she was partnered with Newell during the third semester of their four-semester program.

The two had already worked together during their first year, helping each other prep food, clean up and get through busy class days. Whenever one needed something, the other would step in.

“She’s like my best friend,” Ayers said. “She’s really nice. She’s older, but she reminds me of a friend that I have that’s my age.

“She’s also very patient. She’s very, very supportive. Like, when I’m stressing out or I did something wrong, she’ll be like, ‘It’s okay, dear, don’t worry about it. It’s not that big of a deal.’ And she’s always reassuring me.”

Newell wears her habit at school, so she is easy to identify. She said students have asked a few questions about her life as a nun and about faith, but most treat her like any other student.

“They respect me,” she said. “But I also respect them. We help each other. Like, we’ll sit in the cafeteria before class and we’ll just sit and chat. I’ve been surprised at actually how accepting they have been of me, because I’m a religious sister.”

Ayers, who has attended a Russian Orthodox church her whole life, said religion is not the focus of their friendship. They talk about cooking, Ayers’ new puppy and everyday life.

“I never really thought about the differences,” Ayers said. “I feel like it’s more important if you have a good faith and if you’re a good person, that’s all that really matters. She doesn’t let that matter in our friendship.”

Respect in the Kitchen

Newell’s presence in the kitchen has also created a sense of awareness among classmates. Culinary spaces can be loud, fast and stressful, but the �Թ��� kitchen is expected to remain respectful.

When someone gets frustrated and says something they shouldn’t, Newell said they are quick to apologize.

“Most of them are pretty cognizant of their language,” Newell said. “Sometimes they’ll slip out something, and say, ‘Oh, sorry sister.’

“There’s an awareness of a behavior that they actually should have as human beings. So, I guess my just being a sister calls them to be a better person.”

For Newell, culinary arts is not only about preparing food. It is about learning how to serve others with calm, care and attention.

Where she will serve next is still unknown. But when the call comes, she will be ready.