Mary is from a small town in central Wisconsin. She did not grow up in the Church, but she began attending catechism classes in later elementary school and was baptized and made her first Holy Communion at age 10.In her early high school years, at a Steubenville Youth Conference, she experienced a life-changing encounter with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration, falling completely in love with Jesus and opening her heart for the first time to her Heavenly Father’s will for her life.

She graduated high school in May 2025 and earned her certified nursing assistant (CNA) license during the summer. She decided to take a gap year to spend time in prayer growing closer to the Lord and discerning her future. She has visited several convents to discern religious life, including Carmelites and Franciscans in Missouri and Illinois, the Missionaries of Charity in Chicago, and Salesian sisters in Italy. She also desired to serve on a foreign mission and was extremely blessed to find the Francis Institute and get to know the Erisman family. She is incredibly excited to serve with them in Peru in February and March and is beyond grateful for this opportunity!