Notre Dame Academy for Girls MIAMI, FLorida

What Sisterhood should be;

Friendship and Sisterhood in Christ - Building Authentic, Supportive Relationships

True friendship and sisterhood in Christ are not accidental — they are cultivated through faith, prayer, and shared purpose.
God places people in our lives not just for companionship, but for spiritual growth and accountability.

1. The Value of Godly Friendship

Proverbs 18:24

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

This verse reminds us that not all friendships are equal. Some may draw us closer to Christ, while others can lead us astray. God calls us to be discerning — to seek relationships that are rooted in truth, love, and faithfulness.
True friendship isn’t about convenience or social status; it’s about loyalty and spiritual alignment.
• Discernment: Know who pours into you and who drains you.
• Depth over number: It’s better to have one friend who sticks closer than a brother than a crowd of unreliable ones.
• Christlike bond: Jesus is the perfect example — faithful, loving, and always present.

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2. The Character of True Friendship

Proverbs 17:17

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

This verse paints a picture of friendship that is constant and sacrificial.
True friendship doesn’t fade when life gets hard — it shines brighter in adversity.
• Adversity reveals the heart of a friend.
• Love at all times means loving through flaws, failures, and growing pains.
• A true friend doesn’t just walk with you in blessings but stands with you in battles.

This kind of bond reflects the love of Christ, who never leaves nor forsakes us.

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3. What Does Godly Sisterhood Look Like?

Building authentic, supportive relationships means being intentional and Christ-centered.

A godly sisterhood is marked by:
• Investment in connection: Take time to truly know one another — not surface-level, but heart-deep.
• Pointing each other to Christ: Remind one another of God’s promises and truth.
• Loyalty: Stand firm in love, even when it’s inconvenient.
• Transparency: Be real about struggles; authenticity breeds healing.
• Love: A selfless, Christlike love that serves without expecting in return.
• Standing in the gap: Pray for one another, intercede when your sister is too weary to fight her own battles.

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4. Ruth and Naomi — The Example of Covenant Friendship

Ruth 1:16–17

“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God…”

This passage is often read at weddings, but its roots go deeper — it’s a picture of loyal friendship and covenant love.

Naomi and Ruth’s relationship demonstrates:
• Faithfulness through loss: Ruth stayed when she had every reason to leave.
• Spiritual alignment: Ruth not only followed Naomi but chose Naomi’s God — the God of Israel.
• Sacrifice and surrender: Ruth left behind her homeland and comfort to walk a new path of faith.

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NDA Sisters, let's make our last reunion of 2025 an unforgettable celebration! We're planning to gather in either October or early November, before the holiday season kicks in, and we'd love to hear your preferences. Should we indulge in Cuban cuisine at La Caretta or Versailles on SW 8th St, or opt for Mediterranean in Doral or Italian instead? A breakfast, brunch, or lunch gathering would be ideal, allowing us to reconnect without disrupting personal family plans. Your input will help make this reunion a special closing to 2025. Thank you for your response, and let's make this gathering a memorable one for all NDA sisters, all classes welcome, especially our Class of 77! 🤩🤩🤩😎 1978 ☀️✝️☀️

Our Dearest Teacher, Mother and Friend, Miss Elisa Contreras,
( Miss C.)🥰
your Legacy will forever be Celebrated, Embraced and Remembered. Rest In Peace ☀️✝️☀️ Notre Dame Academy for Girls MIAMI, FLorida ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ Always in our Hearts 🩷✝️🩷

Maureen Sheehan Paparella Heffernan has asked me to post this very sad News:

It is with deep sorrow that we announce that Susan Patricia Sheehan Devlin passed peacefully on April 13, 2025, at her residence in San Diego, California.

Susan had been very ill following a debilitating stroke several years ago, and more recently, the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Susan was born in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky, in 1960. The family moved to Miami Shores, Florida, in 1968.

Susan was a 1974 graduate of St. Rose of Lima Elementary School in Miami Shores. Susan graduated from Notre Dame Academy for Girls in Miami, Florida, in 1978. She earned a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Dayton in Ohio in 1983.

Susan was preceded in death by her husband, Investment Banker Thomas Devlin, and by her parents, Dr. James G. Sheehan and Mrs. Patricia Sheehan.

Susan was the youngest of nine children. She is survived by her eight siblings, Mary Michele, Jim (Kathleen), John (Sarah), Dan (Patricia), Tom, Jeanne Timothy Frech, dec.), Anne Marie (John), and Maureen (Arthur); over 50 first cousins; and many nieces and nephews, both in the US and in Ireland.

Susan's sisters, Jeanne Sheehan Frech ('70) of Longwood, Florida, Anne Marie Sheehan Sims ('72) of Doolin, Ireland, and Maureen Sheehan Heffernan ('76) of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, were also graduates of Notre Dame Academy.

Donations in memory of Susan Sheehan Devlin may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society, with gratitude from the Sheehan family. A Mass of Christian Burial will be announced at a later date.

Our thoughts and Prayers!!🙏🙏

💜✝️💜

Special Thank you to
Anny Gonzalez Gallo
NDA * 1976*
for keeping us Posted 🩷Notre Dame Academy 🙏