IHM: Vocation Stories

My name is Sister Susan Brown. I entered the IHM community in 1992 and my final profession was in August, 2000. I first started to think about the religious life when I was in high school. I was taught by the IHM Sisters in grade and high school. I knew I wasn't ready at that point in time but I still had strong feelings toward religious life while I was in college. I told some of my close friends what I was feeling and they told me to find out more about religious life. I found my grade school prinicpal whom I trusted and felt comforable with. She put me in contact with the vocation director of the IHMs. In the meantime I was finished with college and was working. I prayed about my decision on what to do. It is never an easy decision to leave everything behind. I really felt in my heart that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I always fought with myself about whether I was truly called to religious life. After much prayer I knew that I was going to become an IHM. Once I started the formation process I knew this was for me. I always admired the Sisters because of their devotion to Mary, that they were great teachers and that they helped the poor. I always felt that they supported me in whatever I was doing. Hopefully I am making the same impact on my students and those that I come in contact with daily. I currently teach physical education classes at St. Joseph -by-the-Sea in Staten Island, New York.

Sr. Susan is currently a teacher at St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School in Staten Island, New York.