Mary PetroskySr. Mary Petrosky, F.M.M., is a psychiatric social worker and a spiritual director who has served her religious order--the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary--in the United States, Australia, and Papua New Guinea.

She entered the Franciscan issionaries of Mary community in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1951 and professed first vows in 1954. She earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from Emmanuel College (magna cum laude) in Boston and made her final vows in 1957. She earned a master's degree in psychiatric social work from St. Louis University in 1957 and a master's degree in systematic theology with an emphasis on spiritual direction from the Jesuit School of Theology in 1979.

Petrosky has worked in family and child care in New York City and in Sydney, Australia. She founded a counseling center in Papua New Guinea and taught at Holy Spirit Seminary and Xavier Institute of Missiology. She has served in leadership roles for her order in Australia and Papua New Guinea and was provincial of the US Province. She has been at Holy Name of Jesus Convent in New York City, where she has been involved in spiritual direction and pastoral work, since 2003. She also serves in bereavement ministry at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church. Read More Read Less