Personal Information

Sister Carol Ann McMullen was born on March 21, 1939, in Seattle, Washington. Her parents, Eileen and Robert, were stunned when a few minutes after her twin sister Ellen was born, Carol Ann came to life. She grew up on Queen Ann hill in Seattle and attended St. Ann’s parish school and Holy Names. Each of these schools brought her under the influence of the Sisters of the Holy Names. She attended the University of Washington for two years, where her father joked she was majoring in “socializing.” Thus it came as a surprise to her father and the rest of the family and friends when she decided to enter the convent after two years of college. But she had begun to question what she wanted to do with her life, and that question lead her into religious life.

Sister Carol Ann has had a much varied career. She began as a 1^st grade teacher at St. Francis Cabrini in Tacoma, Washington, and St. James Cathedral in Seattle, Washington. She served as a director of Religious Education in various parishes. She was part of the Provincial Team for the Washington Province as Director of Ministries. She was then hired by the Archdiocese of Seattle as Associate Director of Priest’s Personnel. Her last assignment was as a pastoral associate at St. John the Baptist Parish in Covington, Washington, where she helped Fr. Jack Walmesley found the parish. Sister Carol Ann is now retired and lives in Pacific, Washington with her sister, Roberta. Together they are raising Roberta’s three grandchildren, Haley, age 12, Maxwell, age 10, and Kurt, age 6. She teaches as an adjunct faculty member at the School of Theology and Ministry at Seattle University. Parenting, teaching and visiting the sick at St, John the Baptist keep her more than busy at the age of 72. It has been a long journey, but Sister Carol Ann is happy that her family and friends were wrong when they wondered how long she would survive the life of convent.