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Photo of Sister Linda Pelagio at podium with Meteorologist Chris Vickers in background
Sister Linda Pelagio with Chris Vickers)

Walk By Faith, Not By Sight

Sister Linda’s Light Shines Brightly in the Darkness

Many of us remember Sister Linda Maria Pelagio (pictured with WTOL Meteorologist Chris Vickers) from the inspired invocations she delivered before the last two Sight Center Dining in the Dark galas. But few of us know the journey this Philippine-born member of the Sisters of Notre Dame, a source of hope for countless people, including many who are blind or sight impaired.

Born in the Philippines, Linda Pelagio was blinded by a severe reaction to penicillin at the age of six. While attending school, she became fascinated with a teacher who was a nun, and hoped that one day she could become like this holy woman. Her grandmother told her that if she wanted to be a holy sister, she must pray every day, saying “if you are called, you must trust in God.”

In 1987, she traveled to the United States to participate in an international blindness conference in Missouri. This led her to the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind where she was encouraged to pursue her dream. She applied to 16 Catholic religious communities to become a nun, but only  the Sisters of Notre Dame in Toledo, Ohio, welcomed her to join their order.

While serving in her first ministry as a Notre Dame sister at the Kateri Center, Sister Linda earned a Master’s degree at the University of Toledo. Since her keyboarding skills were not strong enough she was referred to The Sight Center where she quickly became a proficient typist. She also received occupational therapy, daily living instruction, training on using household appliances, and braille writing devices.

In 1989, she helped start a support group for people who are visually impaired known as InnerVision. The goal was to provide spiritual enrichment, social activities, and educational opportunities in an ecumenical environment. Over the years, the membership has grown to 80. Sister Linda said the name came from the feeling that “we may have lost our sight, but we will never lose our inner vision.” The group continues to meet monthly at the offices of the Diocese of Toledo.

Through her years of service to numerous local social service organizations, Sister Linda has relied on The Sight Center for everything electronic. “They are a great resource for computer training,” she said, adding, “When I am stuck with my smart phone, they help me through it. All of my electronic skills came from the people at The Sight Center.”

In spite of her vision loss, or possibly because of it, Sister Linda’s light shines brighter than ever. Whether she’s attending an InnerVision meeting, counselling families in the Mercy St. Vincent Hospital Spiritual Care Center or meeting with residents in the John H. McKissick senior apartment complex in South Toledo, Sister Linda Pelagio keeps doing what she’s been doing her entire life – walking by faith, not by sight.