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Millicent Zimmer, SSJ
SisterBiography
Home Parish: St. John the Baptist Parish, Erie, Pennsylvania
Sister Millicent Zimmer, SSJ has devoted her life to serving others through education, religious formation, pastoral ministry, and administrative work. She attended St. John’s Elementary School and Villa Maria Academy before entering the Sisters of St. Joseph on August 30, 1953.
Sister Millicent earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Villa Maria College in 1968 and a Master of Arts degree in Theology from St. Bonaventure University in 1980. Her early ministries included teaching at Blessed Sacrament and Sacred Heart schools in Erie and Holy Rosary School in Johnsonburg. She also served in office positions at St. Joseph’s Home for Children, the Mission Office, Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie, and Spencer Hospital in Meadville. In addition, she taught religious education in Bradford, Mercer, Houtzdale, Meadville, and Erie. Following her canonical year at the Motherhouse, she lived at Transfiguration House in Butler, where prayer was central to her daily life.
From 1983 to 2008, Sister Millicent served as a pastoral minister at All Saints Parish in Sunrise, Florida. She later returned to administrative service with the Sisters of St. Joseph, working as a part-time receptionist beginning in 2010. She has also participated in the SSJ/Marycrest Prayer Card Ministry, praying for patients at Saint Vincent Health Center.
Sister Millicent first considered religious life when her second-grade teacher expressed a desire to dress her as a Sister. The idea stayed with her through the years, becoming especially meaningful during her senior year of high school when a priest reminded students that refusing God’s call to religious life could mean that others might never learn about God. Her parents supported her discernment without pressuring her, and after choosing to work for a year following high school, she made the decision to enter the congregation.
Although she encountered negative comments from some people, Sister Millicent remained steadfast in her vocation. She expresses deep gratitude that God called her, explaining that she believes she was chosen not because of extraordinary talents but because God loved her.
The Bible is a central source of inspiration for Sister Millicent, especially Psalm 139, which reflects God’s all-knowing and ever-present nature. She also finds encouragement in the lives of the saints, whose faith helped them overcome human weaknesses and grow in virtue. The liturgy holds a special place in her spiritual life through the Word of God and the Holy Eucharist. Throughout her vocation, the faith and support of her parents and siblings have also been a lasting source of guidance and encouragement.
