Current Ministry Location: Maryknoll Sisters Center-Maryknoll, NY
Born in Seattle, WA, on May 7th, 1930, Sister Jean Fallon entered the Maryknoll Sisters in 1947. After studying Japanese at the Yale Institute of Far Eastern Languages she was sent to Japan in 1951. Following 23 years of parish ministry in the Kyoto Diocese, Sister Jean came back to the United States to work with World Awareness Adult Education Programs in the North West, acquainting Catholics with world poverty and its effects on the people who share our world.
She then returned to Tokyo Japan where during the 1980’s, Sister Jean began participating in National Catholic Council for Justice and Peace. She also cooperated with the Association of Major Superiors of Women, taking part in their programs to understand those experiencing injustices in Asia, the causes and relationship to industrialized nations and their way of life. Another effort was in Japan itself with short live-in tours of Hiroshima, Minamata, the mercury poisoning there, and places of racism.
In 1995 Sister took Scriptural, Ecumenical and Peace Studies at the Tantur Institute in Jerusalem. Upon her return to Japan, she was asked by the National Justice & Peace to work with National Council of Churches, Japan, (NCCJ) as part of their Peace and Nuclear Issues Committee.
In August 2000 the organization of Major Superiors of Asian Women Religious met in Hiroshima. (Thanks to the help of the Sister Helpers of the Holy Souls we experienced a very moving morning at the Peace Park. The reflection we had together after was even more moving when that group reflection spontaneously became one of mutual and national reconciliation.)
At the end of 2001 Sister Jean left Japan to become a member of the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns as an Associate Representative of the Maryknoll Sisters’ NGO (non-governmental organization) at the United Nations.
When Sister Jean completed her term in May 2007 she wanted to work more directly for Peace so she joined the Christian Peacemaker Teams. After intensive training she was for seven years sent annually for monthly terms of service with their Team in Hebron, Palestine.
Sister Jean now resides at the Maryknoll Sisters’ Center and continues her activities for Justice & Peace particularly as part of PAX CHRISTI Metro (NY); with WESPAC*; with ROAR** and with DOMINICAN SISTERS JUSTICE AND PEACE PROMOTERS ***.
* (WESPAC Foundation has been a leading force for progressive social change in Westchester County, New York, since 1974. We have been educating, agitating and organizing for a more just and peaceful world, an end to militarism and racism and a more fair economy. )
** ROAR (Religious Organizations Along the River) is a network of religious congregations and organizations concerned with the Hudson Valley bioregion.
*** Dominican Sisters Justice & Peace Promoters is a Group of five Dominican Congregations whose active focus is Justice & Peace.