Meeting the needs of the times

Sister Mary McCormick becomes Interim President of Ursuline High School, Youngstown, Wed., July 1, and will serve a one-year term.

Youngstown Diocese Bishop David J. Bonnar announced the appointment May 6.

Sister Mary, general superior of the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown since 2014, calls the appointment humbling.

“I am honored to continue the legacy of Ursuline Sisters, priests, and laity who have been integral to the strong heritage of the school,” she said, “and to work with the current administration, faculty, and staff to further the mission of the school.”

In September 1905, the Sisters opened Ursuline Academy on Youngstown’s north side, at that time an all-girls school. By the 1930s, the school’s success motivated Church officials to request the Sisters to make it co-ed, and that’s when it became Ursuline High School. Father Edward Conry was named principal, and he undertook administrative control.

The diocese assumed full control of the school in the early 1950s, but Ursuline Sisters continued to serve on staff until 2018, when Sister Regina Rogers retired as vice principal and religion teacher.

“Many Ursuline Sisters -- past and present -- are graduates of Ursuline, including myself. My first ministry assignment after graduating from Youngstown State University was to teach religion at Ursuline, which I did for seven years before I accepted the next assignment,” Sister Mary said. “I also served on the Alumni Advisory Committee of Ursuline until 2011 and served as a member of the Board of Ursuline High School from its inception until 2025.”

The connection between the school and religious community continues! About a dozen lay instructors are Ursuline Associates, Catholic adults who formally embrace the mission and ministry of the Sisters. A group of students visits the Motherhouse twice a month as part of the “Support Our Sisters” program. Sisters are often invited to participate in Mass at the school and speak to classes.

“The founder of the Ursuline Sisters, St. Angela Merici, always found ways to connect with a variety of people, and to help them make meaningful connections with others,” Sister Mary said, noting the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown follow the example of St. Angela.   

“Though there are no longer any Sisters teaching at Ursuline, we have found ways to establish connections with Associates and students in service of the gospel,” she continued. “This is an example of adapting to the needs of the time.”

Sister Mary follows that counsel of St. Angela by assuming this new role. In addition to it and being general superior, she’s also a longtime professor of systematic theology St. Mary’s Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Cleveland. She was formerly a dean there as well.

Sister Mary earned a doctorate in systematic theology from Fordham University, Bronx, N.Y.; a master of religious education from Loyola University in New Orleans; a master of arts in theology from Duquesne University; and a bachelor of science in education Youngstown State University. She also holds several professional certifications.

About The Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown

In 1874, Youngstown was a budding industrial town, filled with immigrants but few teachers. When a priest at St. Columba Parish asked his sister, an Ursuline Sister of Cleveland, for help, our ministry in the Mahoning Valley began.

We are Catholic nuns responding together to the most critical needs of God’s people in northeast Ohio. We live the Gospel and adapt our ministries to meet the needs of the times.

At one time, all Sisters were educators. Thousands of students benefited from our care and educational expertise. Today we serve as teachers, in elder care facilities, in area parishes, and in prayer. Our lives are enriched through community and service to others.

Ursuline Sisters Mission, our nonprofit, maintains the vibrancy of our major programs. These are rooted in the charism of our founder, St. Angela Merici. We welcome you to join us in service! Learn about our Associate program, volunteering, and contributing financially.