Rosemary McCormack
Current Mission Location – Maryknoll Sisters Center- Maryknoll, NY
Rosemary McCormack was born July 17, 1938 in Long Island city, NY to Alice (Healion) McCormack and Thomas McCormack. She had 2 brothers. Rosemary graduated from Our Lady of wisdom academy, NY in 1956.
Rosemary entered the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation from Long Island City, NY September 2, 1957 at their Center in NY. She pronounced First Vows June 24, 1960 at the Center and Final Vows June 24, 1966 also at the Center. In 1962 she was a TV star, along with other Maryknoll Sisters, in “Let’s Talk about God,” a puppet show for children. This popular show was taped and shown on NBC in the NY Archdiocese, in other dioceses and also in the Philippines.
Rosemary studied for two years at Mary Rogers College, Maryknoll, NY and finished her B.A. in Sociology from St. Catherine’s College, St. Paul, MN in 1967. That same year she was assigned to the Bolivia/Peru Region studying Spanish in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
In 1968, Sister Rosemary began her commitment to Peru in two areas on the southern outskirts of Lima: Ciudad de Dios and Pamplona Alta. Her work involved her as a social worker and pastoral worker in community development. In 1980, a turbulent time of violence in Peru, Sister Rosemary was elected full time Coordinator of the Maryknoll Sisters in the Peru Region and traveled throughout the country. On completing her term, Sister Rosemary returned to Ciudad de Dios to work in a day care center.
From 1985-1989 Sister Rosemary returned to NY for mission education and promotion work. Her TV talents were highlighted once again when the Maryknoll Society’s Social Communication Dept. produced 13 videotaped programs for use at home as well as by parishes and school groups. Entitled “Common Table”, the programs covered such topics as hunger and peace. Co-hosts, Maryknoll Father Donald Doherty and Maryknoll Sister Rosemary, interviewed missioners and other experts.
In 1991, Sister Rosemary received her M.A. in Pastoral Care and Counseling as well as Religious Education from Fordham University, NY and remained in NY for family ministry until June, 1999.
In 1999, Sister Rosemary returned to Peru and worked in a parish in Pamplona Alta in the diocese of Lurin, created about eight years ago. She was involved in a family Catechetical Program in which parents met once a week for two years in small groups to deepen their faith and learned how to prepare their children to receive the sacraments. Sister Rosemary met with leader couples of the small groups and together they prepared the weekly meetings. The final goal of the program was to form Basic Christian Communities in which the people reflected on their lives in the light of the Gospel and supported each other in their efforts to transform society.
By profession Sister Rosemary is a Social Worker and helped a limited number of people who came to her with their problems. Often they just needed someone to talk to, but when needed Sister Rosemary also referred them to organizations that offered the services they needed.
Sister Rosemary was a member of the National Conference of Religious Human Rights Commission. In the diocese of Lurin she worked on the local level with the Commission on Human Dignity which gave workshops related to Justice and Peace.
Sister Rosemary has had the privilege of living and working with the poor on the outskirts of Lima, Peru for over 5 decades. She has come to appreciate how God is present with the people in their struggles to survive and make a better life for their children.