Sister Jean
{{Short description|American religious sister and chaplain (born 1919)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type =
| honorific_prefix = Sister
| name = Jean Dolores Schmidt
| birth_name = Jean Dolores Schmidt
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1919|8|21}}
| birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S.
| nationality = American
| religion = Catholic
| residence = Chicago, Illinois
| alma_mater = Mount St. Mary's College (B.A.)
Loyola University of Los Angeles (M.A.)
| image = Sister Jean at Loyola's 12th Annual International Symposium on Digital Ethics and Policy.jpg
| honorific_suffix = BVM
}}
Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM (born August 21, 1919), better known as Sister Jean, is an American religious sister of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and chaplain for the Loyola Ramblers men's basketball team at Loyola University Chicago.{{cite web|url=https://luc.edu/sisterjean|title=Sister Jean|publisher=Loyola University Chicago|accessdate=March 28, 2018}}{{cite news|last=Macur|first=Juliet|title=Sisters of Sister Jean Embrace Her Loyola Team and Marvel at Her Fame|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/sports/basketball/loyola-sister-jean-nun-ncaa-tournament.html|newspaper=The New York Times|language=en|date=March 22, 2018|access-date=March 25, 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/22/sports/loyola-chicago-sister-jean-ncaa-tournament.html|title=A Day in the Life of Sister Jean, Media Darling|last=Arnold|first=Jeff|work=The New York Times|date=March 22, 2018|accessdate=March 28, 2018}}
Early life
Jean Dolores Schmidt was born on August 21, 1919, in San Francisco, California, and raised in the Eureka Valley neighborhood.{{cite web|url=https://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/wla/pdfs/Schmidt,%20Jean%20Dolores,%20BVM.pdf|title=Jean Dolores Schmidt, B.V.M. 1960–2006, n.d.|publisher=Loyola University Chicago|accessdate=March 31, 2018}}{{cite news|last=Ryan|first=Shannon|title='Sister Jean' offers comfort, prayer — and a competitive edge — for Loyola basketball|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-spt-loyola-basketball-sister-jean-dolores-schmidt-20180217-story.html|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=February 18, 2018|accessdate=March 25, 2018}}{{cite news|last=Cohen|first=Jodi S.|title=Loyola men's basketball chaplain, a 93-year-old nun, is full of team spirit|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/03/05/loyola-mens-basketball-chaplain-a-93-year-old-nun-is-full-of-team-spirit/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130306082608/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-03-05/news/ct-met-basketball-nun-20130305_1_basketball-team-gentile-arena-basketball-games|url-status=live|archive-date=March 6, 2013|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=March 5, 2013|access-date=March 25, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/ostler/article/Sister-Jean-s-spirit-Made-in-San-Francisco-12795136.php|title=Sister Jean's spirit: Made in San Francisco|last=Ostler|first=Scott|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=March 30, 2018|accessdate=March 31, 2018}} She first considered becoming a nun while she was in third grade.{{cite news|last1=Breen|first1=Justin|title=Schmidt A One-Of-A-Kind Sister Act at Loyola|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20121212/rogers-park/schmidt-one-of-a-kind-sister-act-at-loyola|website=DNAinfo Chicago|date=December 12, 2012|access-date=March 23, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324101654/https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20121212/rogers-park/schmidt-one-of-a-kind-sister-act-at-loyola|archive-date=March 24, 2018}} As a student at St. Paul's High School, she played on the girls basketball team. After graduating from high school in 1937, she entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary convent in Iowa. In 1941, by then a sister, she returned to teach in California. Sister Jean completed her B.A. at Mount St. Mary's College (now Mount St. Mary's University in Los Angeles) in 1949 and M.A. at Loyola University of Los Angeles (now Loyola Marymount University) in 1961.
Career
Sister Jean began teaching at St. Bernard School in Glassell Park, California and then in 1946 taught at St. Charles Borromeo School in North Hollywood, California. Several students from her teaching days at St. Charles later entered religious life, including Cardinal Roger Mahony, Fr. Thomas Rausch, S.J. and Sister Mary Milligan, RSHM.{{Cite web |date=2018-03-30 |title=Sister Jean's March Madness {{!}} Angelus News |url=https://angelusnews.com/local/sports/sister-jeans-march-madness/ |access-date=2022-10-29 |language=en-US}} Sister Jean moved from California to teach at Mundelein College in Chicago in 1961.{{cite news|last1=Whitehair|first1=Julie|title=Sister Jean Sets the Record Straight on Mundelein Haunting|url=http://loyolaphoenix.com/2016/10/sister-jean-sets-record-straight-mundelein-haunting/|newspaper=Loyola Phoenix|date=October 26, 2016|accessdate=March 23, 2018}} During the mid-1960s, she was active in the civil rights movement.{{cite news|last1=Crosby|first1=Denise|title=Loyola's Sister Jean is the face of an endangered profession of religious women|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/opinion/ct-abn-crosby-nuns-st-0321-20180320-column.html|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=March 20, 2018|accessdate=March 23, 2018}}
She was hired by Loyola in 1991 when Mundelein was merged into Loyola. She has worked as the team chaplain for the Ramblers men's basketball team since 1994.{{cite news|last=Lang|first=Cady|title=Why This 98-Year-Old Nun Is Already a March Madness MVP|url=https://time.com/5203219/sister-jean-dolores-schmidt-loyola-chicago-march-madness/|magazine=Time|language=en|date=March 16, 2018|access-date=March 25, 2018}} Providing a mix of spiritual and scouting support, Schmidt inspired her own bobblehead doll in 2011 and was honored with a "Sister Jean Day" on December 1, 2012. Loyola has also produced a "Sr. Jean Superfan" pin.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-21 |title=Loyola's Sister Jean talks DNC, Israel-Hamas war and connecting with students as she turns 105 |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2024/08/21/loyola-sister-jean-dnc-2024-israel-hamas-war-students-105-birthday-education-religion-faith?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=082124%20Morning%20Edition&utm_content=082124%20Morning%20Edition+CID_171944258ed384bef1eaa206ba38ad3d&utm_source=cst_campaign_monitor&utm_term=Sister%20Jean%20turns%20105&tpcc=cst_cm |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en}}
In 2016, she was presented with an honorary doctorate from Loyola for 50 years of service recognizing 50 years of service to the university.{{cite news |date=May 14, 2016 |title=Chicago nun, 96, receives honorary doctorate |url=http://abc7chicago.com/news/chicago-nun-96-receives-honorary-doctorate/1338166/ |accessdate=March 23, 2018 |publisher=WLS-TV}}
As of 2018, she maintained an office in the student center on campus.
As of 2020, she was living at The Clare,{{Cite web |last=Schultz |first=Nick |date=2020-03-28 |title=Confined to her Apartment, Sister Jean Remains Upbeat During COVID-19 Pandemic |url=http://loyolaphoenix.com/2020/03/sister-jean-upbeat-during-covid-19-pandemic/ |access-date=2021-11-30 |website=Loyola Phoenix |language=en}} a senior living residence in downtown Chicago that describes itself as "reinventing the luxury retirement community."{{Cite web |title=Senior Independent Living Community in Chicago |url=https://theclare.com/ |access-date=2021-11-30 |website=The Clare |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Resident Life at The Clare in Chicago, IL |url=https://theclare.com/life-at-the-clare/ |access-date=2022-09-06 |website=The Clare |language=en-US}}
= NCAA men's basketball tournaments =
Sister Jean gained overnight publicity beyond the Loyola community after the Ramblers' upset of Miami in the 2018 NCAA men's basketball tournament. Her fame continued to grow after the team upset Tennessee in the round of 32, sending Loyola to their first Sweet 16 appearance in 33 years.{{cite news|last=Dixon|first=Schuyler|title=Prayer answered again: Loyola tops Tennessee on late jumper|url=https://collegebasketball.ap.org/article/prayer-answered-again-loyola-tops-tennessee-late-jumper|agency=Associated Press|date=March 17, 2018|access-date=April 1, 2018|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://collegebasketball.ap.org/article/loyola-chicago-lifted-98-year-old-nun-fan-sister-jean|title=Loyola-Chicago lifted by 98-year-old nun, fan in Sister Jean|last=Dixon|first=Schuyler|publisher=Associated Press|date=March 16, 2018|accessdate=April 1, 2018}} The then-98-year-old nun quickly became a star in the tournament; her bobblehead sold for more than $300 on eBay.{{cite news|last=Rovell|first=Darren|title=Sister Jean 'gave her blessing' for Loyola to license her name, image|url=http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/22914293/sister-jean-gave-blessing-loyola-chicago-license-name-image|publisher=ESPN|date=March 26, 2018|accessdate=March 27, 2018}} Loyola ultimately advanced to the Final Four for the first time since 1963,{{cite news|last=Wolken|first=Dan|title=Loyola Chicago, team of 'winners' bound for Final Four, turns NCAA tournament fans into believers|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2018/03/24/loyola-chicago-turns-ncaa-tournament-fans-into-believers-final-four/456466002/|newspaper=USA Today|date=March 24, 2018|accessdate=March 27, 2018}} but they were defeated by Michigan in the semifinal game.
Sister Jean again drew national attention when Loyola appeared in the 2021 tournament. She had initially been barred from appearing at the tournament but was later cleared after she received a COVID-19 vaccine.{{Cite web |title=Sister Jean gave Loyola a scouting report disguised as prayer before upset of Illinois |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaabk/sister-jean-gave-loyola-a-scouting-report-disguised-as-prayer-before-upset-of-illinois/ar-BB1eOiBM |access-date=2021-03-22 |website=www.msn.com}} After reaching the round of 32 as an 8-seed, she incorporated a scouting report into her opening prayer for the game against the top-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini, a team she was reluctant to play against because she did not want to root against another team from the same home state. The Ramblers went on to upset the Illini, 71–58.
She made an appearance at the 2022 tournament after Loyola qualified for the tournament, with USA Today noting she was still in good health.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-06 |title=Loyola Chicago coach Drew Valentine was pumped to have Sister Jean back for March Madness |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2022/03/loyola-chicago-sister-jean-march-madness-back-drew-valentine-celebration-video |access-date=2022-03-07 |website=For The Win |language=en-US}}
= Centenarian and birthday celebrations =
Sister Jean became a centenarian on August 21, 2019 with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker proclaiming it 'Sister Jean Day' across the state of Illinois.{{Cite web |title=Sister Jean of Loyola University Chicago Celebrates 100th Birthday |url=https://www.jesuitsmidwest.org/press-release/sister-jean-of-loyola-university-chicago-celebrates-100th-birthday/ |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=Midwest Province |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2019-08-21 |title=Loyola's Sister Jean celebrates 100th birthday |url=https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/27432038/loyola-sister-jean-celebrates-100th-birthday |access-date=2024-12-05 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}
On August 21, 2022, the plaza outside the Loyola CTA station was dedicated to Sister Jean in commemoration of her 103rd birthday.{{cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-sister-jean-loyola-birthday-photos-20220821-3kpihz6u2fhb7pdkemifcs2kve-photogallery.html |title=Photos: Sister Jean celebrates her 103rd birthday |work=Chicago Tribune |date=2022-08-22 |accessdate=2022-08-25 }}
As she celebrated her 105th birthday, she identified the secrets to living a long life as "loving others and God, taking care of your mind and body, and interacting with young people". Also in recognition of her 105th birthday, Sister Jean received a proclamation from President Joe Biden, in recognition of her lifetime of service.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-28 |title= Students—and President Biden—celebrate Sister Jean’s 105th birthday |url=https://news.luc.edu/stories/campus-life/students-gather-to-celebrate-sister-jeans-105th-birthday/}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.luc.edu/campusministry/about/meetourteam/srjeandolores-schmidtbvm/ Campus Ministry: Loyola University Chicago bio]
- [https://luc.edu/sisterjean/ Sister Jean: Loyola University Chicago: Features] from Loyola University Chicago's official website
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Category:20th-century American Roman Catholic nuns
Category:21st-century American Roman Catholic nuns
Category:Catholics from California
Category:Mount St. Mary's University (Los Angeles) alumni
Category:Loyola Marymount University alumni
Category:Loyola Ramblers men's basketball
Category:Loyola University Chicago faculty
Category:People from San Francisco