Being Led Where I did not Mean to GoFebruary 02, 2026

Being Led Where I did not Mean to Go

I have always wanted to do God’s Will. The problem has always also been that I wasn’t so sure how to know what that was. Over time, I learned that God is always communicating with us in a variety of ways: through people who come into our lives, through nature which is the First Scripture, through Holy Scripture, and through life experiences. That did not exactly solve the problem. In terms of my vocation: I wanted to be a Sister when I was in grade school; I did NOT want to be a Sister when I was dating, etc., in high school; but the thought kept bothering me. I could relate to Francis Thompson’s Hound of Heaven which seemed to pursue him without relenting. I finally said YES during French class when I was a senior at Beaumont. It was then that I felt peaceful about what I was to do and that it was what God wanted. I should have known that the Quest was not over yet.

I knew that I was being prepared to teach high school, but worried I’d be sent on in French because it was not my best subject. God answered my prayer by sending me on in English and History. After I had taught for several years, I was asked about pursuing my Master’s degree. I had been teaching English and Religion. I knew that the Community needed Religion teachers and I had enjoyed working with young women, especially as we started the Sophomore Service Program at Villa Angela. I was able to plan on starting a MA in Theology at Notre Dame in Indiana that coming summer and I was looking forward to it. Then the Community asked the high school teachers to identify Sisters they thought would be good administrators. My name came up too many times; so I started my MA in Educational Administration and Supervision at John Carroll University the next summer. It was challenging going to JCU in the summer while being Assistant Principal with more than 800 adolescent girls, but there was so much to do and to learn even when we were moving from the old school to the new Open Space building without being allowed to get a summer off to do it.

Then, after completing my term as Principal, I was asked again what I would be interested in doing next. I had been working with the staff at VA in support of ongoing staff development and had talked with Sisters who administered a co-ed inner city high school who were interested in my joining them to do curriculum and staff development work. I shared this with community leadership indicating that it would give me experience in a very different high school teaching situation. What I had to say was appreciated, but no decision was made at that time. When my assignment did come, I was sent to my Alma Mater to teach English and to be part of the faculty during their North Central Accreditation. I was also told that I was on the waiting list to study for my Ph.D. in Administration. Did I finally know what God wanted? I was about to learn what St. Paul was hinting at when he indicated: “The Sign of God is that we are led where we did not mean to go.”

The waiting period was two years and then I began my Ph.D. studies in Education Policy and Leadership at The Ohio State University. I loved it! I was not responsible for anyone but myself! I was part of a cohort of 10 other administrators from every level of education and from as far away as Korea. In November of my second year, I was preparing for a major exam when a call came from a faculty member at Ursuline College indicating that Sister Kenan was resigning after 17 years. I did not think much of the news and went ahead and took my test.

When the Ursuline Sisters failed to self-nominate for the position of President, the Board asked them to nominate other Sisters. Again, my name came up several times. I decided to go for the interview to get the experience of interviewing for a College level position since I was anticipating teaching in the Maters’ in Private Education Program at Ursuline once I completed my degree. After the interview by several Board members, I went back to The Ohio State. It was there that I heard that the Board had narrowed the field to three candidates and I was one of the three. It was then that I had to get serious about what God might be asking. After talking with a priest Spiritual Director, I decided to at least go for the second interview. No results were to be known for awhile, so I returned to OSU where I was preparing the Proposal for my Dissertation. On June 6thwhile I was typing the Table of Contents for the Proposal, I received a call from Sister Rose Angela. “Are you sitting down?” I promptly did. “The Board has elected you to be the next President of Ursuline College.” I moved back to Cleveland in two weeks.

There have been many times since then that I have been “led where I did not mean to go.” Over time God’s Will has continued to be challenging, but I have never been alone with the challenge. Now that I am “retired”, I am still learning what God’s Will is for me.

Sister Anne Marie Diederich