Sister Peggy O’Neill

By Elizabeth Bunch

In the small charming city of Suchitoto, Sister Peggy (Margaret Ann) O’Neill can often be found laughing and visiting with friends or guests in the Museo Cafe of the Centro Arte para la Paz (Center of Art for Peace)–or purposefully walking on the beautiful walkways around the plaza of the Museum of Art and History and institute of the arts–or proudly (could we venture such a word for such a humble life in the Sisters of Charity) showing guests the renovation of the church, part of which will be used for performances of the music, theater, and dance classes taught at the center–or talking on her cell phone to someone who has a question or request. The center is a renovation of a convent abandoned during the civil war of the 1980’s.

In the past are her stories of atrocities of the war which so dictated El Salvador’s history and Sister Peggy’s life, and today was her sharing of intense hope and excitement about the future. The center employs museum guides, teachers, librarians, workers in the lodging in which we stayed overnights and the cafe and gift shop which accepts excellent quality handmade goods. One example of the items available are purses made by Flavia, whom Sister Peggy explained had risen from a horrendous personal situation to make and market the purses. Sister Peggy was using one herself.

Sister Peggy has just turned 79 and has worked on the center’s projects since its founding in 1995. She has arranged for the work not only to continue but expand in the years to come.