JAMAICA — Jacqueline Gallagher, a middle-distance runner for the St. John’s University Women’s Track Team from 2016 to 2020, would always take a few moments before one of her races to say a prayer. 

These days, she’s still praying and she’s still running — but now, she’s running toward the Lord.  

Gallagher, 27, is preparing for her big day on Aug. 11 when she will profess her first vows to join the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, a religious community of nuns in Nashville, Tennessee. 

It’s a major step in a seven-year-long process that began when she entered the convent in 2022 — two years after graduating from St. John’s — and will reach its conclusion four years from now when she professes her final vows. 

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Upon professing her first vows, Gallagher will take the name Sister Veronica Mae. 

Her family is excited for her and will be in Nashville to see her life-changing moment.  

“My whole immediate family will be there,” said her mom, Pat Gallagher. “But she was also able to invite aunts, uncles, and close friends, so she’s going to have quite a crowd.” 

Jacqueline’s immediate family by itself constitutes quite a crowd. She is one of nine children — five boys and four girls — born to Pat and John Gallagher. 

Jacqueline was busy with her preparations and was unable to be interviewed for this article. However, in letters she sent to her fraternal twin Therese Gallagher, she has expressed the joy she is feeling as she prepares for her new life. 

“Vows are less than a month away,” she wrote in a letter home on July 13. “It’s kind of hard to take in the immensity of it, you know? The Father freely chooses. Who can cancel his choice? No one!” 

Jacqueline was raised in Belle Harbor and grew up attending Mass at St. Francis de Sales Church. She and her eight siblings also went to St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy. She attended Bishop Kearney High School, where she ran track, specializing in middle-distance events such as the 800-meter and the mile.  

Upon graduation in 2016, she was offered an athletic scholarship from St. John’s University in Jamaica and enrolled there. Therese also received an athletic scholarship to St. John’s and was a member of the track team, competing as a middle-distance runner. 

In her junior year, Jacqueline posted three Top 10 finishes in mile-long races at track meets. As a senior, she posted a season-best time of 5:22.06 in the mile at the Penn 8-Team Select meet and recorded a personal best time of 10:57.91 in the 3,000-meter race at the Metropolitan Indoor Championships. 

She majored in biology and had planned to become a pediatrician, but she started volunteering for the Sisters of Life — performing babysitting chores for new mothers — and Pat thinks that might have planted a seed and cemented a desire to serve God by helping women and children.  

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Jacqueline learned about the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia from a family friend, and after making a few visits, she decided that this was the place where she belonged. Pat and John weren’t a bit surprised when Jacqueline came to them and told them she wanted to enter a convent.  

“She always took her faith seriously,” Pat recalled. “Even when she was a child, she would stay after the Mass and was never in a hurry to leave church.  

“She would sit there and say a prayer.” 

John recalled that Jacqueline always had a maturity about her.  

“And whenever we go to see her now, she’s like a therapist. She has a lot of wisdom. And she really has a deep understanding of human nature,” he said. “It’s a blessing.” 

In another letter to Therese, written on May 27, Jacqueline expressed her gratitude for having her family, friends, and fellow Dominican sisters in her life.  

“The Lord has been so faithful these past years and months. He has given you, mom, dad, the siblings, my sisters, my friends, and all those I hold dear — He has given them to me and me to them,” she wrote. “Most of all, he has given me his son and he has given me to Jesus. I really have it all!” 

Therese, who teaches religion and coaches the girls’ track and field team at Xaverian High School in Bay Ridge, said her twin has always made her proud.  

“She’s been a role model for me,” said Therese, who is 12 minutes younger.  

“I look up to her in terms of her faith. In today’s culture, it’s tough to make those kinds of decisions where you’re going to put all your trust in God,” Therese added. “It might not show up in the way that you would want in terms of worldly things. Just seeing her answer God’s call has helped me grow in my own faith.” 

Therese can’t wait to see Jacqueline take her big step.  

“It’ll be like watching my twin walk down the aisle and give her life to Jesus,” she said. “I’m really excited.”