Mary  Herrmann, SSJ
formerly Sister Rosemary
60-year Jubilee

From her earliest memories, Sister Mary Herrmann felt that she wanted to be a “sister.” After beginning her education with the Sisters of St. Joseph, she knew that meant a Sister of St. Joseph. She eventually recognized it as a call to religious life. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1960 from her home parish, St. Ann, in Erie, Pennsylvania, and made her final profession in 1968.

Her education began at St. Ann Elementary School and Villa Maria Academy. She graduated from Villa Maria College in Erie with a BSN in nursing and then later from Boston University with an MSN in nursing administration. She also received certification in Advanced Nursing Service Administration by the American Nurses Association.  

Sister Mary ministered for many years at Saint Vincent Health Center in nursing/patient services and administration as Executive Vice President. She then ministered as a nurse clinician at the Booker T. Washington Center in Erie. She was admitted to the Honor Society of Nursing. She served as vice president of the Sisters of St. Joseph for ten years before co-founding the Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network in 2000.  She served as the ministry’s Executive Director for 11 years before again serving in administration for her congregation, as president, from 2011-2019.  

In 2004, Sr. Mary was recognized by the Mercy Center for Women as one of its Dynamic Dozen,  Women Making History.  Sister Mary is a past recipient of the Martin Luther King JR Award and the recipient of numerous other community distinctions.

Currently, Sr. Mary serves on the boards of the Sisters of St. Joseph, the Shankar Service Foundation Board, and the SSJ Mission and Ministry Foundation. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was an active volunteer at the Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network.