Sister Ann Sherman
Current Ministry Location: Maryknoll Sisters Center – Maryknoll, NY
Ann Sherman was born February 1, 1949 in Fairbault, MN to Agatha Magdalena (Kern) Sherman and Edmund Sherman. She had 3 sisters: Mary, Philomena and Odilia and 4 bothers: John, Benedict, Gabriel, and Joseph. Ann graduated from Bethlehem Academy High School in Fairbault in 1967. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin in 1971, she taught primary students for six years at Our Lady of Peace Grade School in Madison.
Ann entered Maryknoll September 2, 1976 at the Center, NY. She professed First Vows June 4, 1978 at the Center and Final Vows July 7, 1984 in Seoul, Korea. In 1978 she received her Master of Arts in Religious Studies from the Maryknoll School of Theology, Maryknoll, NY.
Sister Ann’s first mission assignment was to Korea in 1978 and after language study, she worked as an occupational therapist in St. John of God Clinic in Kwangju from 1979 to 1982.
After her reflection year at the Center in NY in preparation for Final Vows she returned to Korea.
She then worked in Galilee Children’s House in Chongju as a teacher and was also a parish Eucharistic minister until 1986.
In 1986 Sister Ann was assigned to the Maryknoll Sisters Contemplative Community in NY. The particular expression of mission of the Sisters in the Contemplative Community was the ministry of prayer and sacrifice for all Maryknollers, for the peoples they served and the mission endeavor of the Church throughout the world.
In 1991 Sister Ann spent six months with the Contemplative Community in El Quiche, Guatemala where her gifts of art and poetry were much appreciated. In 1993, Sister Ann was assigned to work in the printing office at the Maryknoll Sisters Center and she spent four summers as a five star cook at the Sisters retreat and vacation house in Rhode Island. In 1999, she was assigned back to her beloved Korea until 2011. She accepted various regional responsibilities as Regional finance person and as contact person as well as ministries with the Korean people.
Sister Ann taught English conversation to college students, young adults, housewives, Korean Sisters and Montessori kindergarteners for ten years. She built their confidence in English in order that the students could successfully participate in international conferences and seminars and to study abroad. Some students found new meaning by reading the bible in another language and sharing their reflections and life experiences. Her gospel sharing groups wanted to practice speaking in English but she said, “We also talked about our daily lives and shared from our hearts, not just parroting from a text book.”
In 2012 Sister Ann spent a year with the Integration Community in Chicago as a member of the community and also volunteered at a food pantry and as a kindergarten teaching assistant.
In 2013, Sister Ann was assigned to Cambodia where she studied language for six months and then delighted in teaching English to elementary students until 2023 when the Region came to completion and she returned to the Center.
As a member of the Center, she assists in the mail room and engages in baking as a hobby.