Sister Ann Boland, SUSC

Sister Ann Boland, SUSC (Sister Mary David) died November 7th at Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton, MA, at the age of 85. Born in Fall River, MA, on April 14, 1937, she was the daughter of the late David W. Boland and Doris (Devine) Boland. In addition to her Holy Union Sisters, she is survived by her sister Mary Boland Costa of Silver Spring, MD and brother David Boland of Fort Lauderdale, FL, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Sister Ann entered the Holy Union Sisters on September 8, 1955 and pronounced her final vows on August 22, 1964.

Sister Ann’s early education was at the Academy of the Sacred Hearts in Fall River. She earned a B.S.Ed. at Catholic Teachers College, an M.S. in Early Childhood Education at Wheelock College in Boston, and an M.S.W. in Gerontology at Boston College. A life-long learner, Sister Ann continued her education and professional and spiritual development through her participation in a range of courses and workshops.

As a young religious, Sister Ann taught in parish schools staffed by her religious community in Baltimore, MD and Astoria, NY. The bulk of her professional ministerial life, however, was spent in Massachusetts. For many years, she taught adult literacy classes in Brockton and was a reading teacher and specialist in Boston schools. Sister Ann’s passion was for the religious education of children and she served as the Coordinator of Religious Education in parishes of the Boston Archdiocese and the Diocese of Fall River; additionally, she was a consultant for publishers of religious education text books and teaching materials and a presenter at conferences and other gatherings of religious educators. Talented in the arts and an exceptionally creative person, Sister Ann later trained as a geriatric social worker and brought her gifts to a nursing home in Framingham as Activities Director, to a congregate living site in Brockton, and to other venues. In recent years, she prepared children and youngsters for Baptism and worked as a consultant to Holy Cross Family Ministries in Easton, MA.

Her Funeral will be held on Monday, November 14, 2022 at 9:00AM in the Waring-Sullivan Home at Cherry Place, 178 Winter St., Fall River, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00AM in Holy Name Church, 709 Hanover St., Fall River. Relatives and friends invited. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 3:00 to 6:00PM with a Prayer Vigil at 5:00PM. Contributions in Sister Ann’s memory may be made to the Mission Advancement Office of the Holy Union Sisters, 205 Bedford Street, Fall River, MA 02720. Burial in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Fall River.