Faith in Action: Shyrl’s Life of Innovation, Inspired by St. Julie 

What happens when faith becomes the foundation not just of one’s personal life, but of one’s professional vision, too? For Shyrl, formerly Sister Miriam, the charism of the Sisters did not just shape her values; it became the bedrock of her choices in ministries of compassion, healing and transformation.

From an early age, surrounded by a family rooted in faith and service and educated by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from elementary school through university, Shyrl was drawn to a life where belief and action were inseparable. That calling continues to echo through every endeavor she touches.

Shyrl McCormick

In 1961, Shyrl joined the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Over the next 21 years, she dedicated herself to teaching – first in elementary, then in high school settings – while always sensing there was something other to her calling. Her search led her to Seattle University’s ministry program. “It was like a dream,” she recalls of the experience, which culminated in her being on the team that founded St. Julie’s Parish in San José. This parish embodies the charism of its namesake and has always spoken to Shyrl’s heart. There, she served as Director of Religious Education for six years.

After years in parish life, Shyrl transitioned into peace work at the San José Peace Center and at the Santa Clara County Council of Churches. Around this time, she left the congregation and married her husband, Pat. Together they launched Process Design Associates, a venture they ran for 19 years to facilitate team-building and strategic planning in parishes, dioceses, schools, service agencies and small businesses. They believe that the answers any organization needs are within its people.

Shyrl’s subsequent roles continued to reflect her deep connection to the Sisters, including serving as Sponsorship Director for the former California Province and as Admissions Director at Notre Dame High School, Belmont. “I was so blessed to have felt so connected to the Sisters,” she said. But her entrepreneurial spirit and desire to foster empathy in organizational cultures drew her back to work like what she and Pat had pioneered. That is when she founded Fearless Conversations – a business rooted in Nonviolent Communication, Psychological Type and Appreciative Inquiry.

“Conversations are how we think together and build relationships,” she explains. “We need to be able to have conversations free of fears that keep us from speaking our truth.”

When Shyrl stopped working for the Sisters, she began to really notice the power and vibrancy of the Associate community. “They were so alive, committed, and shared the same values,” Shyrl stated. This period of her life marked a renewed commitment to the charism. She formalized her relationship with the Sisters once again – this time as an Associate – as both an expression of gratitude and renewed sense of belonging to a community that had always shaped her path.

Shyrl’s life is a testament to the power of spirituality that transcends time and space. From her earliest encounters with the Sisters to building people-centered organizations to her presence as an Associate today, Shyrl’s story reminds us that the charism of the SNDdeN calls each of us to seek what is most important.

Shyrl loves these guiding questions:

• What is alive in me? What is alive in you?
• What is really important to me? What is really important to you?

The answers to these questions fuel her ongoing commitment to living authentically and empathetically in today’s chaotic world. Whether facilitating community workshops or engaging in transformative conversations, Shyrl continues to joyfully champion the simple yet profound invitation of St. Julie’s vision: to see and be the goodness of God. 🌻