1916 – 1993 (May 20)
James George Sherman was born on September 19, 1916 in Wappingers Falls, New York, the only child of George M. Sherman and Mary Fitzhenry, and was baptized on October 8, 1916 in Saint Mary’s Church there. He attended the parish school, graduating in 1930. In September of that year, at the age of 13, he was accepted as a postulant at Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, N.Y. Upon graduation in 1934, he entered Our Mother of Good Counsel Novitiate, New Hamburg, and on September 10, 1935 he made his simple profession of vows. Solemn profession followed three years later on September 10, 1938. He then attended Villanova College, from which, in June, 1939, he graduated with an A.B. degree and began the study of theology at Augustinian College in Washington, D.C. During the summer months he took graduate courses in speech and drama under the direction of Father Gilbert Hartke, O.P. at the nearby Catholic University of America. On May 28, 1942 in Trinity College Chapel he was ordained to the priesthood.
Following ordination Father Sherman completed his theology and graduate studies and received a master’s degree in speech and drama from Catholic University. He later took part-time post graduate courses in speech pathology at New York University. Father Sherman’s first assignment in 1943 was to Augustinian Academy, Staten Island, N.Y., as an instructor in English, Latin and Greek, and director of student drama productions. In 1951 he was appointed a member of the Augustinian Mission Band and for 22 years preached throughout the United States. In 1959 and again in 1962 he was elected a councilor of the Province, and in 1962 he was appointed Rector of the Mission Band. In 1965 Father Sherman was elected Prior Provincial of the Province of Saint Thomas of Villanova. In 1968 after a term as provincial he was assigned as pastor and prior to Saint Denis Church in Havertown, Pa., and afterwards, as pastor at Old Saint Augustine Church, Philadelphia and Our Mother of Consolation in Chestnut Hill. He retired in 1991 and was assigned to Olde Saint Augustine’s. It was there that he died quite suddenly in his room.
Father Sherman was a friendly, outgoing person whose advice was sought and valued by many. In his homily, Father Donald Burt, O.S.A. spoke of the many private memories treasured by those who knew and loved Father Jim as a priest. At the time of his death, Father Sherman was a member of the College of Consultors of the Archdiocesan Priest’s Council and the Committee for Priestly Community for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He was also serving on the Board of Directors of Saint John Vianney Hospital, Downingtown, Pa., and the Marian Homes.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Saint Thomas of Villanova Church, Villanova, on May 24, 1993. Interment was on the following day in the Augustinian plot of Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken, PA.
