Sister Sue Rech

Current Ministry Location – Tanzania

Sue Rech was born October 30, 1943 in Pittsburgh, PA. to Anna (Zerr) Rech and Fred G. Rech. She had 3 brothers: John, Jim and Br. Fred. Sue graduated from St. Luke’s High School, Carnegie, PA in 1961.

Sue entered the Maryknoll Sisters’ Congregation October 18, 1962 at the Sisters Center in NY.  She pronounced First Vows June 24, 1965 and Final Vows February 10, 1977 in Tanzania. From 1965 to ‘70, she was a full time student at Mary Rogers College at Maryknoll, NY earning an Associate of Arts   in Community Service. She gave Congregational Service from 1966 – ’68 in the Development Department giving Promotion talks in churches and schools.

Sister Sue’s first overseas mission assignment was in 1971 to Mwanza, Tanzania, where she was engaged in youth and women’s rural education. She also served on pastoral teams in Shinyanga and Sayu Sayu and became involved in community development. Later she moved to Arusha, Tanzania, where she served as part of a pastoral team at the Kinjunji Catholic Mission until 1982.

Sister Sue returned to the United States to serve again in mission education and promotion for the Congregation for three years before returning to Tanzania and the Olkokola Mission in Arusha in 1985. In that role, she was part of a diocesan team focusing on women’s development.

Sister Sue returned to the States to give family ministry and earn a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University, Chicago, IL in 1994. Sister Sue returned to Arusha to teach leadership skills, conduct literacy classes, implement development projects, and carry out pastoral work among Maasai women.

In 2005, Sister Sue began mentoring young women preparing to become the newest generation of Maryknoll missioners. For five years, she helped direct our Chicago-based formation program for Maryknoll Sister Candidates at the Institute of Religious Formation at the Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL where she earned a Certificate in Religious Formation.

Sister Sue returned to Tanzania helping women form small businesses in order to make a living for their families.