Sister Moira Sullivan, SSJ, was born in Johnsonburg, PA, to William H. and Elsie Penfield Sullivan. After completing high school, she attended Villa Maria College in Erie and earned a BS in English. While there and after initially resisting the call to a religious vocation, she realized her gifts could best be utilized as a part of a larger family, specifically as a member of a religious community. The connections she made in her first two years at Villa College— with Sr. Lawreace Antoun and with other young women also seeking God’s path, resulted in her decision to enter the Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania. She entered in 1961 from Holy Rosary parish in Johnsonburg, professing her final vows in 1969.
She later earned a MA, Education from Boston College and completed additional studies at Gannon University and the University of Vermont.
Initially, Sister Moira taught at Villa Maria Elementary, Our Lady’s Christian, St. Patrick, and Sacred Heart Schools in Erie, as well as St. Agatha School in Meadville. She then taught and later served as principal at Villa Maria Academy over 18 years.
Leaving education, she served in the role of chaplain, social service coordinator, and volunteer coordinator at the Regional Cancer Center in Erie for 19 years. In 2007, she began serving four years as Treasurer on a three-member Leadership Team for the Sisters of St. Joseph. She was instrumental as the Leadership liaison during the transition of Villa Maria Academy from a sponsored ministry of the congregation to a diocesan school.
Sister Moira served the Board of Erie Catholic Preparatory High School (Villa-Prep).
Today she enjoys photography, reading, and writing and has compiled three inspirational reflection booklets.