By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
For Abby Orr, Catholic education has been an important part of her life since childhood — first as a student, then as a teacher, and now as a school principal.
Orr, the new principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School, grew up at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School in Richardson (now Saint Paul Catholic Classical School), which she attended from kindergarten through eighth grade. Her parents, Bill and Chrissie Keffler, have been active in the Diocese of Dallas since joining St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Parish in 1983. Their example helped shape Orr’s approach to faith, family, and education.
“My parents not only set wonderful examples for myself and my siblings, but they held us accountable for living intentional Catholic lives,” Orr explained. “I wouldn’t be here today without witnessing their devotion and intentional examples of Jesus Christ.”
Following the example of her parents, Orr said she and her husband, Shane, are committed to raising their three daughters in a strong Catholic community.
“He and I are so blessed to be surrounded by others who strive to provide a faithful and nurturing environment for them every day,” she said.
As the oldest of five children, Orr said she grew up with a strong sense of responsibility and leadership. She carried those qualities with her into the classroom.
“I have always known I was going to be a teacher,” she said, adding that she treasured the many educators who taught her. “I have always desired to be a teacher my students would remember fondly.”
Following her years at St. Paul the Apostle, Orr attended Richardson public schools but continued to find support through the Catholic community. She remembered attending Wednesday morning Masses at All Saints Catholic Church, followed by what she recalled as an important part of the routine: doughnuts.
Her connection to Catholic education continued at the University of Arkansas, where she found another “rich and devoted” Catholic community.
After college, Orr began her career in education, including a year at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, before moving to Richardson ISD. She valued her years in public education and the students she taught there but eventually realized something was missing.
“My career was missing something,” Orr said. “I took that as a message from the Holy Spirit.”
After the birth of her first daughter, Orr returned to Catholic education. She spent six years teaching at St. Paul, the school where she had been a student, and then six years at St. Thomas Aquinas, where Orr said “witnessing the strong Catholic leadership” of Jennifer Watts and Patrick Magee influenced her decision to pursue school administration.
“This brought me to the doorstep of OLPH,” she said.
Magee, former president of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, said Orr brings to her new role the qualities every Catholic principal should have: strong faith, integrity, leadership, and a heart for serving others.
“I am confident she will inspire students at OLPH to grow academically, spiritually, and personally while fostering a welcoming and faith-filled school culture,” Magee said. “OLPH will be a better school because of Abby Orr.”
Orr said she hopes to build on OLPH’s 80-year history while giving students opportunities to grow academically and in their faith. Orr said she is excited to work with educators and parish leaders to continue the school’s traditions and faith formation.
“I look forward to working alongside educators and parish leaders who share this philosophy and desire a thriving spiritual and academic environment for all learners,” she said. “I have long known the beauty, faithfulness, and devotion of this community.”
Orr said she believes education is a human right.
“Every child is entitled to an opportunity to learn, flourish, and succeed,” she explained.
For Orr, her return to Catholic education was more than a career move. It brought her back to the kind of school community that shaped her as a child and, years later, called her back to the classroom.
Now, as principal of OLPH, she hopes to give the school’s students the same sense of belonging she experienced along her own journey — and to make sure they leave with a connection to the school that lasts well beyond eighth grade.
“My prayer is that the children of OLPH are proud to be a part of it and leave us in eighth grade knowing they are an important part of something very big, where they will always have a home to return to,” she said.
Cutline for featured image: Abby Orr, principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School, looks forward to building on the school’s 80-year tradition of faith and education. (MICHAEL GRESHAM/The Texas Catholic)
