Sister Maria Leonor “Len” Montiel
Current ministry location – Maryknoll Sisters Center – Maryknoll, NY
Sister Len a native of Looc, Romblon, Philippines has been a Maryknoll Sister since 1994.
She was assigned to Cambodia in 1997, Len speaks and is literate in the Khmer Language. Cambodia is a collaborative mission and an intentional community of Maryknoll Sisters, Priests and Brothers, Lay Missioners, Affiliates and volunteers. It is part of what was the Maryknoll Mekong Mission (MMM) which became what currently is known as Maryknoll Asia South.
Sister Len was a member of the Maryknoll Mekong Mission Coordinating Team from 2000-2002 and also part of the Maryknoll Asia South Service Team from 2016-2018.
In Cambodia, she initially worked worked as an Adviser with a Youth Resource Development Program, helping in their process of becoming a local NGO and in curriculum development. Then she started working with the Maryknoll Cambodia Anlong Kngan Community Development Project for the forcefully evicted urban poor informal settlers, including people living with HIV and AIDS. She lived and worked in the community for three years. From 2008-2018, Sister Len served as Director of Seedling of Hope an HIV & AIDS Response Program for Maryknoll in Cambodia. Seedling of Hope helped those living in poverty who were affected by HIV & AIDS, the program improved their quality of life and fulfilled their basic human rights of health, education, livelihood and shelter.
Sister Len also taught at Royal University in the Department of Social Work, of Phnom Penh, and served on a founding board of directors of the association of social workers in Cambodia. She was also involved with the Catholic Church Students Center in Phnom Penh, facilitating reflections and was a member of its board for years. In addition, she also taught at the St Jean Marie Vianney Catholic Seminary in Phnom Penh.
Sister Len has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Washington, USA and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines. Recently, she has been serving as the Renewal Coordinator of the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, NY.
In September 2021, she was elected to serve on the Congregation Leadership Team for the next six years.