Former school dedicated to Sister Karen

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Today, a former Montessori School was dedicated to Sister Karen Klimczak who was murdered in 2006 by a former convict she was helping.

The school will help homeless families and others in need.

In the years since her violent death, the city of good neighbors has often been reminded of Sister Karen's mission of peace.

She started "Peaceprints,' the peace dove promoting non-violence with the slogan, "I leave peaceprints" that is still often seen in Buffalo today.

Now, her name will be attached to the Sister Karen Center.

Sister Jean Klimczak, Karen's sister says, "This is a place now that celebrates and continues a lot of Karen's ministries."

The Sister Karen Center will allow homeless families to stay for a week at a time while they try to find a permanent place to live.

Pastoral Associate, Paula Hunt says , "Most shelters only allow males to be with males and females to be with females. So we're able to keeping the families together and that's such an important thing."

The Sister Karen Center also has meeting rooms to host Alcoholics Anonymous, and non-violence education programs.

Pastor of SS. Columba-Brigid, Roy Herberger says, "It's many different ways that people can feel at home here and feel safe and secure. And that's why we couldn't do any better than name the building and all the programs dedicated to Karen's memory, because that's what she was all about."

Sister Karen believed in peace and non-violence.