Sister Anna Marie Espinosa, IWBS celebrates 50 years

Sister Anna Marie Espinosa (Anna Marie) was born on Oct. 21, 1947, to Ernest and Beatriz Espinosa. She graduated from Incarnate Word Academy, Corpus Christi in 1966, and then entered the congregation the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament on Sept.  8, 1966, and made her first profession of vows on Aug. 1, 1969. 

Sister Anna Marie earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Texas A&I University in Kingsville.  She earned a master’s degree in educational administration at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.  She also studied theology at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.

Her ministry in education included teaching at Christ the King, Incarnate Word Junior High, and St. Theresa School in Corpus Christi. When she was assigned to Brownsville, she served as registrar and then principal of Villa Maria High School. From 1989 to 1992, she worked as development director for the Diocese of Brownsville.

Sister Anna Marie also served as the Incarnate Word Academy director of development in Corpus Christi. During the 1993 to 1994 school year, she coordinated a million-dollar capital campaign for the Incarnate Word Academy campus which generated funds needed in expansion and renovation. Sister also worked in public relations and recruitment efforts for Incarnate Word Academy.

On July 1, 2001, Sister Anna Marie was appointed president of Incarnate Word Academy in Corpus Christi. She served in that capacity for nine years during which she spearheaded the building of the Kennedy Science Center that would house Incarnate Word Middle Level students.

Sister Anna Marie has been also active in congregational governance, chairing and serving on numerous commissions and committees of the congregation.  In 1984 she served on the general administration during the administration of Sister Martha O’Gara. Sister Anna Marie has been an elected delegate to numerous general chapters of the congregation.

In 2011 Sister Anna Marie was appointed vocation director for the congregation.  She arranged numerous events in Corpus Christi, Edinburg and Brownsville for young ladies interested in religious life.  She also designs print media and a Facebook page for the congregation as one instrument for the sharing of vocation information.

In 2015, Sister Anna Marie was appointed chair of the general chapter facilitation committee.  In August of 2016, Sister Anna Marie continued her ministry as a vocation director and member of the National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC) Board.
Sister Anna Marie is chair of the finance advisory committee of the NRVC in Chicago.