Even those who are not basketball fans may remember the story of Sister Jean - the team chaplain for the Loyola Chicago basketball team that made a Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2018 and Sister Jean became a bigger story than the team. She won many hearts and will win even more after publishing her memoir - a great book. Here is my review of "Wake Up With Purpose!"
Title/Author: “Wake Up With Purpose! What I’ve Learned in my First Hundred Years” by Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt with Seth Davis
Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)
Review: In the 2018 NCAA men’s college
basketball tournament, the Ramblers from Loyola University of Chicago made a
run all the way to the Final Four and their success brought an even bigger
story than their victories on the court.
The team chaplain, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, affectionately known as “Sister
Jean”, won the hearts of viewers of the tourney, whether they were cheering for
the Ramblers or not. It was amazing to
see how a gentle 98 year old sister became a media sensation and now, five
years later, she is sharing the story of her life.
While it was basketball that made her known around the world,
and she does talk about sports throughout the book, there is much more to her
story than her time with the Loyola basketball team. From her childhood in California to her decision
to attend the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) in Dubuque,
Iowa, she talks with fond memories of those times and the family and friends
she shared them with. It was in her time
at the BVM when she confirmed that her belief that she should embark on a life
of service to God was the correct one, and she lived her life with that purpose.
She talks much about her time as an educator, which
encompassed all levels of schooling, from elementary school to college. Of
course, the school at which she has had the longest tenure was Loyola, including
her time as a teacher and administrator at Mundelein College, an all-women’s
school that merged with Loyola due to declining enrollment.
That change, one of the more major ones in her life, was one
that she handled just like the others: she accepted it and enthusiastically
embarked on whatever changes she had to face.
She always believed that God had a purpose for her and if took this
change, then she was going to do it. Sister Jean always shares her humor and her
wisdom through each phase of her career and life and also her viewpoints on
some social aspects such as abortion, racism and women’s rights. They don’t fit one particular political
spectrum, which really fits her since she does not make overt political
statements.
Of course, her time with the men’s basketball team,
especially the 2018 team, is discussed by her in great detail and with great
joy, even when the team wasn’t too successful. There’s enough of this
discussion that basketball fans will enjoy the book, but it is so much more
than a sports book – it’s a great memoir of a wonderful lady with joy in her
heart and much love to share with all.
I wish to thank Harper Select for providing a copy of the
book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed are
strictly mine.
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