The sun was barely rising when Sister Carmen walked into her office the morning after the community-wide announcement went out. The campus was quiet, but questions circled: Why now? What changed? Who will it be? The answer stretches back to 2019, through a global pandemic, and into the heart of a leader who has carried two roles at once for six years.
At the school, leadership is never separated from mission, “With Mary in All Things,” and mission is never separated from faith – along with the search for a principal. It is a decision shaped by years of growth, reflection, and a long period of discernment shared between the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Archdiocese of Miami, and Sister Carmen Fernández herself. It is a story of collaboration, prayer, and a profound desire to give Lourdes the future it deserves.
“Sister Carmen loves Lourdes, the family feel, the culture, everything about it. When she was named president in 2019, I was absolutely thrilled. It was a wonderful step forward for the school,” said Sandra Rogowski, special events coordinator. “I’ve worked at Lourdes for twenty years, and I’ve known Sister Carmen since her days as Director of Vocations for the IHM Sisters. She used to come into my classes, and over time we formed a wonderful friendship.”
When Sister Carmen looks back on 2019, she was serving as the Director of Campus Ministry and serving on a principal search committee. Historically, Lourdes operated with a principal, always an IHM Sister, who oversaw daily life and academic leadership. Caught off guard, in a meeting she recalls vividly, she was asked if she would consider becoming president. She did not yet hold the degree necessary to serve as principal so instead she was offered the president role. After prayer and consultation with her IHM community, she said yes. The original plan had always been a president and a principal operating together. In practice, however, something very different unfolded.
Just months later, the uncertainty of COVID-19. The Archdiocese encouraged her to remain as president and continue performing the duties of principal for the sake of stability, clarity, and continuity. What began as a temporary structure stretched into six years.
During that time, Lourdes grew physically, spiritually, and academically. Nearby properties were purchased with long-term expansion in mind, and architectural plans were drafted.
At the same time, principal duties still continued to arrive at her door. The PA system stopped ringing. Fire drills had to be managed. Students needed guidance. Maintenance issues appeared without warning.
“The president’s job is big picture,” Sister Carmen said, “but the principal role is fully day-to-day. And very often, because those day-to-day things are immediate, I get focused and stuck on that. Then I do not get the chance to look at the big picture.”
The strain accumulated quietly. But last year, a moment came that Sister Carmen could not ignore. She had a scheduled meeting with attorneys to prepare for a zoning presentation, work essential to the school’s long-term future. Instead, she found herself in the lunchroom speaking with students at a lunch table, having completely forgotten the meeting. “I realized then my heart was divided,” she said. “I needed to balance the two.”
It was clear. Lourdes was growing, and growth required structure. The dual-role model had served its purpose during unpredictable years, but the school was ready to move into the future with the intention of 2 separate people serving as principal and president. “This isn’t because I’m afraid of work,” Sister Carmen said. “It’s because I love our school, and I know we can grow positively if I have more help.”
The official letter to the community reflected the same clarity in October. A principal would be hired for the 2026–27 school year, reporting directly to the president, with Sister Carmen remaining President and Head of School. This preserved Lourdes’ IHM identity, honored its mission, and prepared the school for expansion and the years ahead.
With the principal search now beginning, Sister Carmen is approaching it with the same thoughtfulness that guided her discernment. She hopes for someone who understands Lourdes’ spirit, lives the Catholic faith deeply, radiates joy, models consistency and fairness, and genuinely loves the students.
The new principal will allow her to focus more fully on long-term needs, finances, facilities, future construction, while still staying close to the people who mean the most to her. She hopes to keep attending lunches, substituting classes and possibly even teaching if her schedule allows.
The morning after the announcement, as the first rays of light filled her office, Sister Carmen wasn’t thinking about titles or structures. She was thinking about the same mission that has guided Lourdes for decades: leading young women closer to the example of Mary.
And as Lourdes steps into this next chapter, steady, hopeful, and guided by God, there is no doubt the school is moving forward with the clarity, love, and fidelity that have always defined it.
