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Phyllis McCracken, SSJ
SisterBiography
Home Parish: St. Patrick, Erie, PA
Sister Phyllis McCracken, SSJ, was born in Meadville, PA, to Robert and Pauline Snyder McCracken. After graduating from Franklin High School in Franklin, PA, she attended Spencer School of Nursing and Villa Maria College, earning a Diploma RN and BSN degree. She also received an MS in Nursing Services Administration from Boston University. She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1971 and professed final vows in 1977.
“My call to religious life is as vibrant today as it was 50 years ago. God has continued to bless me as I live out our mission of reconciling love with our dear neighbors,” said Sr. Phyllis. Her words reflect a vocation that has continued to deepen through decades of service, leadership, and care for others.
Sister Phyllis most recently served in Leadership as Treasurer for the Sisters of St. Joseph. Prior to that, she served for more than 35 years at Saint Mary’s Home of Erie, including nearly 18 years as President and CEO. During her years there, she also served as Assistant and Acting Director of Nursing, Vice President for Patient Care Services, Vice President for Special Projects, and Vice President for Planning. Through these ministries, she brought together her nursing background, administrative experience, and commitment to compassionate care.
Her earlier ministries included serving as a staff nurse and hospice consultant at Spencer Hospital in Meadville, PA; Director of Student Health Services at Villa Maria College; Developer and Director at St. Martin’s Health Center; and Director and Geriatric Staff Nurse at Villa Maria Convent. She also served as Director of Nursing Continuing Education for Villa Maria College and Edinboro State College, Director of Nursing Continuing Education for Erie Institute for Nursing, and Admission Analyst and Quality Assurance at Saint Vincent Health Center.
Throughout her years of ministry, Sister Phyllis has generously shared her leadership and experience through service on many community boards. She served on the Saint Vincent Board of Corporators and Board of Trustees, HVA Senior Living Alliance, Villa Maria Center, Saint Mary’s Home of Erie, Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network, and Pennsylvania Catholic Health Association. She also served on the Erie Diocesan Medical Moral Ethics Committee.
Sister Phyllis is a member and Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club of Erie. Her commitment to leadership and service has been recognized through numerous honors. She was named one of the 1977 Outstanding Young Women of America, received the Medaille D’Or Award from Saint Mary’s Home of Erie in 2008, and was one of the women honored in 2019 as Women Making History by the Mercy Center for Women.
Through her many years in healthcare, administration, education, and religious leadership, Sister Phyllis has found numerous ways to live the mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph. Her ministry has allowed her to care for others, advocate for those in need, and use her gifts of nursing, leadership, and administration in service of the community.
For Sister Phyllis, her vocation continues to be a source of blessing and purpose. After more than five decades as a Sister of St. Joseph, she remains grateful for the opportunity to live out the mission of reconciling love with her dear neighbors. Her life and ministry are a testament to the enduring call to serve God and others with compassion, dedication, and love.
