Faith Journey - Sister Judith Sullivan, SDS

Sister Judith Sullivan, SDS, has been called to several different vocations over her lifetime and describes these as different paths on the one life journey of faith. Sister Judy will make perpetual profession of vows in August as a Sister of the Divine Savior, surrounded by members of the Salvatorian and Sullivan families and friends.

“I have been a sister, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, volunteer and religious sister. After my sophomore year of high school, I entered the Salvatorian candidature. I loved community life and teaching, but after six years, I felt called to something else. Two years later friends arranged a blind date with Bob Sullivan and we were married a short time later,” she explained.

Bob was a young widower with two children. He and Judy had three children and their family of five was soon overflowing with school and parish activities. Bob was also starting his own dental supply company. Life was good and very busy.

When Bob died in 2001, Judy asked herself what would be the next focus of her life. She was an active volunteer in her parish, as well as at the Sojourner Truth House and the Cathedral Center Shelter. And she was mom and grandmother to an ever-growing family.

“I was attending retreats, had a spiritual director but always seemed to be looking for something more. On one of the retreats, I realized I was really looking for someone - God. I needed to deepen my relationship with God. I was also still in regular contact with some of the Sisters of the Divine Savior and was serving on their Community House Chapel project,” Sister Judy said.

At one point, the idea of a second call to religious life stunned her. “I am a mother of five and grandmother of 16. This is impossible, it can’t be,” she thought. So she called her friend, the then Provincial, Sister Marion Etzel, SDS, and asked, “Is this even possible? What can I do for the Congregation at this point in my life?”

Sister Marion replied, “It’s not what you can do but who you are.”

Sister Judy mulled this over and spoke to her adult sons and daughters who were also affirming. And so Sister Judy re-entered the formation process in the Sisters of the Divine Savior. Learning to balance her re-activated religious call with her role as mom and grandmother has been an important factor in these years of formation. She regularly attends family gatherings, her grandchildren’s athletic and school events…and is always willing to babysit. Now all has come together on the same path in her faith journey.

“I am filled with gratitude and thank all who have journeyed with me. At every step, I was encouraged, supported and affirmed during my call to different vocations. Life is good. Community life is good. Thank you, God.”