Sister Dean Pfahler Spreading Compassion Across Communities and Continents Inspired by Sisters of Notre Dame’s Spiritual Mother St. Julie Billiart
After retiring from decades of teaching and ministering in schools and parishes, Sister Dean Pfahler continues to serve with compassion in various roles, including as a retreat leader for Boundless Compassion.
In 2019, Sister Dean had the privilege of attending one of the final Boundless Compassion retreats guided by Sister Joyce Rupp, a Servant of Mary and spiritual author, before her retirement. As Sister Dean explains, this experience set her on a path that would transform her life and the lives of many others. “I was profoundly moved by Sister Joyce’s teachings on compassion,” Sister Dean said, “and I knew I wanted to share this message with others.”
Boundless Compassion is an initiative with the mission to inspire and encourage compassion in one’s lived experience. It intends to create a community of people committed to living and bringing compassion into personal life, community and the world. This initiative is grounded in retreats, workshops and books offering a comprehensive approach to personal growth and learning.
Since her first retreat five years ago, Sister Dean has become a certified Boundless Compassion retreat facilitator. “Compassion isn’t just about feeling for others; it’s about acting to relieve their suffering,” she said. Through leading these retreats, she has guided many on their own paths toward compassion, helping them cultivate nonjudgment, non-violence, forgiveness and mindfulness in their lives. “What is my share to do?” is a phrase that drives Sister Dean.
Sister Dean’s dedication led her to offer retreats across eight states and even online during the pandemic. “Transitioning to Zoom wasn’t easy,” she admitted, “but the work of compassion and connection never stops. In fact, it was more important than ever.” Her work has impacted countless lives, from young adults to the Sisters of Saint Louis Associates and the wider global community.
Sister Dean has also expanded her reach with Boundless Compassion internationally, as she offered this retreat in Africa earlier this year. This initiative was inspired by the SND 2022 General Chapter goals that emphasized global networking and the connection of sisters worldwide. “Being part of the Notre Dame community has taught me that compassion knows no borders,” Sister Dean said. “We are all connected and our stories intertwine in ways that help us grow closer together.” Since entering the SND community in 1966, she has gained new perspectives on different cultures and how others see the world. In the midst of her years of teaching and ministering in parishes in the US, she spent three years teaching high school in Papua New Guinea. She also recently spent a month in Peru visiting Brazilian Sisters of Notre Dame serving there. Sister Dean credits both experiences with expanding her cross-cultural understanding of compassion and connection.
Recently, Sister Dean reflected on how this journey of compassion has shaped her own life. “I wasn’t always someone who thought of herself as compassionate,” she acknowledged. “But as I grew, I realized that everyone has the capacity for compassion, even if they don’t always know how to express it,” she said.
Sister Dean’s commitment to promoting kindness illustrates how one person’s actions can ripple outward, creating a lasting effect on the lives of many. Her commitment reflects the values of the Sisters of Notre Dame’s spiritual mother, Saint Julie Billiart, and her legacy of compassion and service. Beatified in 1906 by Pope Pius IX and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1969, she is celebrated for her kindness and love to others. “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, for all the people you can, while you can,” Saint Julie famously has said, emphasizing that each person has a responsibility to the betterment of the world. Sister Dean explained that she is inspired by being a part of the great Notre Dame story that continues to widen through each sister and lay employee’s ministries. She enjoys feeling connected to the common spirit with others across many cultures. Saint Julie believed that even the smallest acts of kindness could produce waves of positive change, a belief that resonates deeply within the Sisters of Notre Dame still today.
As Sister Dean continues her work with Boundless Compassion, she remains committed to the SND mission of ‘Proclaiming God’s Goodness and Provident Care.’ “Each retreat is an opportunity to make a difference, to help someone see that they are not alone,” she said. “And that is a blessing for which I am deeply grateful.”
We encourage all to cultivate compassion in their communities through volunteering, supporting local initiatives or reaching out to those in need. Every act of kindness matters.
To learn more about Boundless Compassion, please visit: https://www.boundlesscompassion.org/
