Sister Ann Walters, OP

2023 – 61 Years a Sister

Prayer Ministry

Pray for the Collaborative Dominican Novitiate.

“…the Joy of God is your strength.”

~ Nehemiah 8:10

Through these sixty years of Dominican Life, it is true: the Joy of God is our strength. Jesus, my mentor/friend, knew this. Through Jesus I grew to discover Joy is the fruit of living the Paschal Mystery: birth, death, and resurrection – the mystery we celebrate every Eucharist.

Ever since I can remember, I always wanted to love God with my whole mind, heart, and soul. I grew to acknowledge that this desire to be one with God meant me recognizing God’s presence in my life and loving myself and others as a saint/sinner.

I came to know the importance of the relationship between prayer, study, community life, and service as areas of Dominican life: Study brings an understanding of self and others; prayer opens my heart to receive God’s transformative Love; community living and service allow for the pragmatic practice of study and prayer.

On this journey, I have been blessed by my parents; the two Grand Rapids Dominicans who taught me my eight years of Grade School, Sister Marie Vianney and Sister Francis Xavier, at St. Michael’s Suttons Bay; and all those I met through my years as elementary principal/teacher, years as a novice/formation director, my time of being with the Dominican Sisters in Nigeria, and the directees who have enriched my life by their faith as well as being a member of the Congregation’s leadership team at the end of the 20th century.

How blessed I am to be a vowed member of the Dominican Family – family who mirrors for me the God of Love, the Word of Love, and the Spirit of Love.

Sister Ann working with Formation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine Siena, Gusau, Nigera.

Sister Ann working with Formation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine Siena, Gusau, Nigera.

Sister Ann enjoyed teaching Enneagram workshops at Dominican Center Marywood.

Sister Ann enjoyed teaching Enneagram workshops at Dominican Center Marywood.

Through her spiritual director ministry, Sister Ann often experiences the presence of God through her directees.

Through her spiritual director ministry, Sister Ann often experiences the presence of God through her directees.

"All these years of prayer, study, communal living, and service has allowed me to give and receive God's love." ~ Sister Ann Walters

"All these years of prayer, study, communal living, and service has allowed me to give and receive God's love." ~ Sister Ann Walters

Sister Ann's life has provided her opportunities to share her gifts with ethnically, culturally, economically, and spiritually diverse people as teacher, administrator, spiritual director, formation director of the Congregation, co-novice director of the Dominican Congregations in the Unites States, a member of the Congregational leadership team, and adult faith formator.

Sister Ann's life has provided her opportunities to share her gifts with ethnically, culturally, economically, and spiritually diverse people as teacher, administrator, spiritual director, formation director of the Congregation, co-novice director of the Dominican Congregations in the Unites States, a member of the Congregational leadership team, and adult faith formator.