St. Thomas Aquinas College will honor alumnus Sister Margaret Oettinger, O.P., at its annual Tribute Dinner on Thursday, November 14. She will be one of three honorees that evening and the recipient of the Founders Award. The prestigious award recognizes the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, who founded the college in 1952 in Sparkill (Rockland County), and commemorates the vision, courage, and faith of the Dominicans. 

The other two honorees are Javier L. Evans, who will receive the Aquinas Medal and Martin Cottingham, who will receive the Mission Impact Award. The dinner will be held at The Rockleigh in Rockleigh, New Jersey.

“With great insight and sensitivity, Sister Margaret has been the face of God’s compassion, bringing to life the ‘good news’ of the gospel for countless men, women, and children through her ministry,” shared the college’s event announcement page. “St. Thomas Aquinas College is proud to honor her for advancing the mission of the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill through her ministry of caring for the human spirit.”

A native of New York City, Sister Margaret Theresa Oettinger grew up as a member of the St. Catherine of Siena parish on the Upper East Side.

Sister Margaret entered the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill (Rockland County) in 1962. After 20 years as an elementary school teacher in the New York Archdiocese, Sister Margaret left the comfort and security of home to serve as a missionary in Pakistan for eight years. In Pakistan her gifts for pastoral ministry became evident in her work at both the parish and diocesan levels, her missionary work in the Punjab, and her ministry as a chaplain and patient advocate at Nishtar Hospital in Multan, one of the largest hospitals in Asia. When she returned to the United States in 1989, Sister Margaret joyfully embraced the ministry of hospital chaplaincy and completed specialized training and certification in clinical pastoral chaplaincy education at NYU Medical Center.

In April 1992, Sister Margaret was board-certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and named Director of Spiritual Care at the Hospital for Special Surgery, where she currently serves on the Institutional Review Board, the Ethics Committee, and the Interdisciplinary Patient Education Council. In addition, she serves as the hospital’s liaison with the Dominican Friars Health Care Ministry of New York and the Healthcare Chaplaincy Network.

“Sister Margaret has contributed very valuable assistance to many Sisters in the Archdiocese of New York. She is always available with a compassionate ear and sound advice. Sister Margaret uses her medical networks to open doors for Sisters to services they may not be aware of and they are deeply grateful,” shared Sister Joan Curtin, CND, Vicar for Religious of the Archdiocese of New York.

For more on Sister Margaret and her ministry, watch our feature on her in recognition of Catholic Sisters Week here.