Sister Jean Marie, OP

SOAR! recently had an opportunity to interview Sister Jean Marie, OP, a Dominican Sister of Nashville.

“I wanted to be a Sister since I was in first grade,” says Sister Jean Marie. “In fact, when I was in elementary school in the late 1950s, every little girl wanted to be a Sister.”

While Sister Jean Marie was taught by the Mercy Sisters of Pennsylvania in elementary school, both her parents had long-time connections to the Dominican Sisters of Nashville, Tennessee. She and her parents frequently visited the convent, and Sister Jean Marie entered in 1970. She shared that she was inspired by the joy of the Sisters and how easily they connected with people of all ages.

Sister taught Biology and History in elementary and high schools for over 50 years at schools in Tennessee, Illinois, and Virginia. She also served as a principal of an elementary school and a high school that included students grade 7 through 12. One of her favorite things was to prepare the eighth graders for the Sacrament of Confirmation. She helped guide the students as they learned about the Saint they picked as well as the meaning of the Sacrament.

Another highlight of her ministry as an educator was the evolution of a student from freshman to senior. “It was wonderful to see them grow into people confident of their skills, knowing that whether they went off to college or a trade school they were well-prepared for the next step in life.”

One of the challenges of teaching was making sure that each student was able to grasp the information or skill being taught. That meant taking into account individual learning styles and sometimes coming up with several different kinds of tests.

A life-long educator, Sister Jean Marie continues to serve as a faculty member at Aquinas College in Nashville, where she teaches Philosophy of Education, Church History, and other history courses.

In sharing a word of wisdom, Sister Jean Marie notes that “God has a plan for each of us – we may not know it – we need to trust God. From that comes joy in doing God’s will.” She also conveyed the importance of prayer, and noted that consecrated religious pray the Divine Office daily for the world. As they recite the psalms and prayers, they bring the world before God. “There’s always someone praying for you.”