Edmonton sister named a ‘Woman of Vision’

By  Chris Miller, Canadian Catholic News
  • November 16, 2011

EDMONTON - Sr. Annata Brockman, while on a retreat many years ago with other sisters, was asked to explain her motivating force in daily living.

Brockman responded with a statement by which she has lived her whole life. She even keeps that response typed on a slip of paper.

“The entire universe is God’s family and I am part of that family,” she said. “My parents emphasized the fact that every man, woman and child is my brother and sister, and I should treat them as I would the Lord.”

This way of life has served her so well that she has been named Global TV’s Woman of Vision for November.

The honour has been bestowed monthly for the past 16 years to Edmonton-area women from all walks of life. The common thread is that they use their talents to improve the community or create a successful venture.

The popular feature is written and produced by Lesley MacDonald. The stories, broadcast on the first Monday of every month, are meant to inspire other women to make wise career choices and achieve their ambitions.

The three-minute feature on Brockman aired during the evening news Nov. 7 and on the morning news the next day.

MacDonald said Brockman is a remarkable woman who shows a side of nuns that most people today don’t know about.

“We tend to think of them praying in church, but she was a pioneer in education,” said MacDonald. “She pushed for equality before people were even thinking that way. She had an education that most women of her generation wouldn’t even dream of having.”

Brockman was a teacher and administrator in Edmonton Catholic Schools for 21 years. She then served as a pastoral associate at St. Joseph’s Basilica for 23 years, leading hundreds of people into the Catholic Church through the RCIA. She continues to work with the sick and terminally ill.

(Western Catholic Reporter)

Please support The Catholic Register

Unlike many media companies, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our website. We want to keep our award-winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help.

For more than 125 years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith-based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you.

DONATE