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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Sister Mary McCormick, originally from Caledonia, was a prisoner of war, held by the Japanese in the Philippines during World War II.
There’s an old saying, “everyone has a story to tell.” That certainly holds true for Sister Mary McCormick, who was born nearly 95 years ago on Dec. 10, 1914. Mary was the second of seven children born to Matthew and Rose McCormick of Caledonia. Her brother James McCormick and several nieces and nephews still live in the Caledonia area.
She attended Loretto High School and graduated in 1931. She continued her education at La Crosse State Teachers College, where she earned her degree in elementary education. She spent the next two years teaching in public schools.
In 1935 Mary entered Mary-knoll, the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, located in Ossining, N.Y. She received the name Sister Rose Matthew at Reception, but uses the name Mary today. Mary made her first profession of vows on Jan. 6, 1938 and her final profession exactly three years later.
Mary’s first foreign mission experience began in 1938 when she was sent to Malabon, Philippines, where she served as an elementary school teacher for four years. She found much joy in teaching fifth and sixth graders.
Her teaching assignment was cut short when the Japanese invaded the Philippines. Mary and many of her co-workers were taken captive and taken to a prisoner of war camp at Los Banos. Mary and many other Maryknollers were held captive for more than three years, until their dramatic rescue in 1945.
The following is a letter Mary wrote to her family following her rescue from the prison camp. It was published in The Caledonia Argus later that year.
“Luzon War Zone, February 24, 1945;
“My Dear, Dear Ones:
“Hugs and kisses and greetings to all! Yesterday morning at 7 o’clock paratroopers dropped upon us and with the help of the guerrillas, turned our interment camp at Los Banos into a battle ground. We have been there with 2,154 others since July 9, 1944.
“I was just going to Mass, but as firing began in a few minutes, I got under my bed (as did we all) and prayed flat on my tummy for an hour while bullets flew in every direction. Only one girl in our barracks was wounded.
“The soldiers tore through the barracks and we would jump up to greet them. They seemed like angels. They were so big and brawny and as brown as Filipinos. They were so fearless, so calm, so joyous. When I watched them poured through the camp…shooting, slinking, dodging, I thought how afraid they must feel. But I learned I was wrong, as I talked to some of them later. They said they have no fear when fighting, but when waiting. I can believe this.
“In a few minutes we were told to pack what we could carry and get out as soon as possible. This was very easy, as we have lived out of a suit case for three years.
“I ran fast to my baggage and down the road to the amphibian tractors, which had come for us. The barracks were all on fire and the heat was overpowering and everyone ran to get away from them.
“There were 50 tractors. I was fortunate to leave on the first trip. About 30 were in each. All this time bullets were whizzing in all directions. I had no sense of feat, but only a great peaceful joy which made it one of the happiest days of my life.
“The first tanks left at 9:10 and soon we reached the “Laguma De Bay.” As we started over the water we met a little trouble and the soldiers had to use the guns. We felt so safe. I was glad there happened to be six of us (Maryknollers) together. It is about eight miles across the water and we unloaded on the opposite shore and sat and waited while they made another trip.
“The soldiers were good beyond all words to us. They gave us their field rations to eat. I was so grateful. They took us by truck to this place (a secret just now I understand). We are here with our soldiers for a little and I neither know nor care where we go next.
“I you could see these soldiers and how this fighting draws them to God. You can recognize the many Catholic ones by the rosaries they wear around their necks. All admit our deliverance was an answer to prayer and the marvelous work of the boys.
“Greetings and love to all.”
On her return to the U.S., Mary taught briefly in the Bronx and in Chinatown for one year in 1948. During this time she was also studying at Rogers College and received her B.E. For the next 15 years she taught in Stockton, Calif., St. Louis and Tuscon, AZ, and returned to the Maryknoll Center in New York where she worked in the publications department for five years.
In 1971, Mary began a new mission and was assigned to Kyoto, Japan. There she taught English and counseling at Kansai University. While there she wrote a historical novel for juveniles as part of mission education. She returned to Maryknoll Center in 1975 where she continued to work on mission education projects in the morning and arts and crafts in the afternoons.
Mary returned to Kyoto, Japan in 1980, where she stayed for 14 years teaching English and doing some writing. She retired in 1994 at the Maryknoll Center, where she continues to live today.
According to her niece, Lorri (Jahn) Thompson of Marshalltown, Iowa, “Mary continues to be warm and gracious. Although her memory is fading, she has had a remarkable life for us to remember.”
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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