Sister Anne Sullivan

Current ministry location – Center, NY

Anne Sullivan was born August 18, 1925 to Anne (Daley) Sullivan and William Francis Sullivan in Detroit, MI. She had 3 sisters: Loretta, Helen and Mary and 1 brother: Dr. William. Anne graduated from St. Charles High School in Detroit in 1943.

Anne began contemplating religious life in her sophomore year of high school where she met a Maryknoll priest who was assigned as a teacher. She said, “Through Father John, I came to know and love the foreign mission work of Maryknoll.” While working as a postal clerk in the U.S Government Post Office in Detroit, she applied to Maryknoll, and shortly after received a letter of acceptance from Mother Mary Joseph (foundress of Maryknoll Sisters).

Anne entered Maryknoll from St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Milwaukee, WI. September 7, 1943 at the Center. She professed First Vows March 7, 1946 at the Center and Final Vows March 7, 1949 also at the Center. In March 1946, she graduated from Maryknoll Teachers College with a Bachelor’s degree in Education.

Her first assignment in 1949, was to Transfiguration School in NY City’s Chinatown where she taught Kindergarten for 4 years. In 1953 she was assigned to Hawaii where she taught in secondary schools for 16 years.

In the early 1970s, Sister Anne was assigned to Guatemala where she served in the education ministry in. She taught ESL, music, and supervised primary school teachers. In addition to teaching, she was involved in formation of Christian communities through prayer groups and home visiting.

Sister Anne returned to Maryknoll Sisters Center, New York in 1977. Since then she served in various offices then, spending many years as Receptionist at the Center’s front door, health care, and development.

She is a member of the Maryknoll retired Sisters Community.