Sister Maria Irma Gonzalez (Maria Irma) was born in Brownsville on April 5, 1947. She is the daughter of Juan Gonzalez and Maria H. Gonzalez. She graduated from Brownsville High School in 1965 and entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament on Sept. 8, 1967, where she made her first profession of vows on Aug. 1, 1970.
Sister Irma earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Texas A&I University in Kingsville with further studies at Corpus Christi State University and St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
Sister Irma taught in schools in Corpus Christi and Brownsville since 1972. She began teaching at Immaculate Conception School, and at Villa Maria High School in Brownsville, and also taught at Bishop Oscar Romero Junior High in Corpus Christi. In 1992, Sister Irma accompanied the Villa Maria High School students who relocated to St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville and taught math and computer science. For four years, she served as assistant principal for academics at St. Joseph Academy.
July 1, 2009, Sister Irma began her ministry as Campus Director of Incarnate Word Academy and Villa Maria Language Institute in Brownsville. Her ministry included coordinating the schools’ mission effectiveness, overseeing the advancement and marketing for the schools, and working with alumni and the advisory council of Incarnate Word Academy. She presently serves on the advisory board for Incarnate Word Academy/Villa Maria Language Institute in Brownsville.
Sister Irma’s participation in congregational leadership has included her position eight years as superior general and sixteen years on the general council as well as four years as sister-in-charge in the Brownsville community. Among committees and commissions, she has also served on the Stewardship Commission of the Congregation. Currently, She is serving as first counselor to the Superior General Sister Annette Wagner on the leadership team of the congregation. Sister is also the liaison to Incarnate Word associates in Brownsville, where she currently resides.
Other leadership experience has included serving as vicar of religious in the Diocese of Brownsville, and as a member of the National Board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR). She also served on the board of directors for Mary’s Pence, an organization that works to fund women’s projects in the Americas, especially those that focus on women and children.
Sister Irma has participated in international and national reunions of Incarnate Word congregations, serving as a translator and representative of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament Corpus Christi group.
During her continuing service on the international committee for the reunification of the Incarnate Word Order, Sister Irma has been an energizing force to bring all the Incarnate Word congregations into one unified group. Her bilingual and multicultural knowledge and skills have facilitated the work of reunification of Incarnate Word Sisters from the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe and Africa. Her work on the international committee includes composing documents needed by Rome, traveling to different congregations to give presentations and progress reports and serving as a translator for the English and Spanish speaking groups at the international meetings.
Sister Irma comments, “My life as a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament has been a gift from God. I am grateful for the experiences that I have been afforded and the continued support of my Sisters.”