Religious Milestones: Mercy Sister Mildred Rossiter, 70 years

For Mercy Sister Mildred Rossiter, consecrated life has been filled with grace and abundant blessings. 

Sister Mildred, born in Somers Point, was the oldest of six children. She described her family as “very devout” and active in parish life. As a child, she attended St. Peter’s Elementary School, Pleasantville.

She credits he religious vocation to the Sisters of Mercy who taught her at Holy Spirit High School, Atlantic City. “I always wanted to teach and I saw that they had a lifestyle that I could emulate and be a part of.” Liking the way the sisters responded to the needs of the students and the way they interacted with each other she said, “It was inspiring to me.”

In 1953, after high school, at the age of 18, she entered the Sisters of Mercy and professed her final vows in 1959 at Mount Saint Mary, Watchung.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Georgian Court College, now University, Lakewood, and a master’s degree in elementary education as a reading specialist at Seton Hall University, South Orange.

Her teaching assignments included Sts. Philip and James, Phillipsburg; St. Mary, South Amboy; St. Joseph, Keyport; St. Joseph, North Plainfield; and St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral, Metuchen.

She served as principal of St. Matthias School, Somerset; St. John School, Collingswood; St. Peter the Apostle School, New Brunswick; and as a teacher and principal at St. Mary School, Perth Amboy.

For the past six years, Sister Mildred has volunteered as a bookkeeper for the “All Africa Conference Sister to Sister,” which supports educating religious in sub-Saharan Africa who are caregivers to the HIV/AIDS community and those challenged by extreme poverty.

She also enjoys spending time on her hobbies — crocheting prayer shawls to be donated, researching her family history and reading mystery novels and historical fiction books.

One of the many highlights of her ministry was working as novice director.

“I loved accompanying other women discerning their vocation. This was very life-giving for me, and I hope for the women I connected with,” she said.

As a former vocations director, she offers some advice to women who are considering a vocation: “Seek out a women religious and spend some time speaking and discerning with that person. Pray for guidance to be led in the right direction and discuss that with another woman religious.

“I am hoping that someone reading about the sisters in this edition of ‘The Catholic Spirit’ would be encouraged to think about following the path that we have lived.”

Sister Mildred is a member of Our Lady of Mount Virgin Parish, Middlesex. She is a resident at The Mother House for the Sisters of Mercy, Watchung

Looking forward, she hopes to continue serving others.

“I am so grateful for all that I have been a part of and for all those I met and was able to help along the way,” she said.