Sister Marilyn Jean Graf

Current Ministry Location: Maryknoll Sisters Center-Maryknoll, NY 

Sister Marilyn was born February 1st, 1927 in Lemont, IL to Margaret (Passinger) Graf and Aloysius Graf, she also she has one sister. Marilyn Jean graduated from St. Francis Academy High School in Joliet, IL in 1944.

Sister Marilyn entered Maryknoll September 2nd, 1956 at the Sisters Center in Ossining, NY. Having studied business and secretarial subjects before joining the Congregation, Sister Marilyn began her service to Maryknoll in the Center’s administration offices. She pronounced First Vows June 24th, 1959 at the Center and Final Vows June 24th, 1965 in Guatemala.

In 1960, Sister Marilyn  was assigned to Guatemala, where she spent the next five years teaching commercial subjects at Monte Maria College.

From 1965-1969, she served back in the United States. First at the Maryknoll Fathers’ and Brothers’ promotion office and then in the travel and shipping offices at the Maryknoll Sisters Center.  In 1969, Sister Marilyn was sent to the Palauan Islands in the South Pacific. During her time there she taught religion, typing, office practice, and English at Jesuit High School, always a cheerful and dedicated presence in the lives of her students.

Sister Marilyn then spent five years assisting in the Maryknoll Fathers’ and Brothers’ administration in NY before going back to Guatemala for another nine years of devoted education ministry. In 1989, Sister Marilyn found it necessary to return home for family ministry.

After offering another three years of secretarial service at the Center, Sister Marilyn Jean was assigned in 1993 to Thailand, where she devoted herself to her new role as English-speaking secretary to the local bishop. During the eleven years that Sister Marilyn spent there, she also helped to teach English to seminarians.

Returning to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in 2005, Sister Marilyn served as secretary to the Maryknoll Sisters Leadership Team for two years before being assigned to Monrovia, CA.  She lived at the Maryknoll Sisters House in Monrovia until 2014, and then returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to do secretarial work for the Maryknoll Sisters Leadership Team again. At present while Sister is semi retired she continues to use her skills volunteering in various areas around the Center such as Sacristy duty in the main Chapel.