Monday, January 27, 2014

These Sisters are sisters

Stan identified these Minnesota nuns in a New Orleans checkout line and took this selfie,
 once Kathleen had been corralled: Two wonderful sisters, with a lifetime of teaching inner city youth.
Overheard in the Express Checkout Lane at the bustling Rouse's Supermarket where New Orleans residents are stocking up supplies for the possible big snowstorm tomorrow:
"I bet people in Minnesota would laugh at all this."
"Hey," Stan said, "I'm from Minnesota, and you're right!"
And so began a delightful half hour conversation with two nuns who long ago left Minnesota to teach inner city kids. They don't teach in full-size classrooms any more, but they tutor every school day, teaching lagging youngsters with a host of problems how to read. That's what they were doing this morning at the nearby Holy Ghost Catholic School on Louisiana Avenue. They're "retired."
Selfless service becomes a habit
Today after school they were laughing about the prospect of schools closing here because of the snow, the principal has yet to make the official call. Stan couldn't help noticing their matched haircuts, so he went ahead and asked, "Are you two nuns?" then explained away his impertinence because he was raised Lutheran.
As was easy to see, these sisters are sisters, or, if you prefer, these nuns are siblings. They are now Sister Mary Ramona, 84, and Sister Mary Anne Joachim, 85, siblings from a family of eleven who grew up in Northeast Minneapolis. Annually, they return to Minnesota, to Bloomington to visit their brother -- in the summers of course. They taught at inner city schools in Detroit before teaching in New Orleans now for 25 years.
Stan was at a bit of a disadvantage because his Catholic wife was elsewhere in the cavernous supermarket, stocking up on snowstorm supplies alongside the panicked populace. Kathleen has nine years experience with Catholic Schools and so would enjoy meeting this cute, amazing duo, Stan figured.
That's Stan's chicken dinner in Sister Jo's hand.
Meantime, Stan said he wanted to take their picture and they grinned their permission, (not in front of the wine display though) and Sister Ro helpfully took Stan's chicken lunch bag while he fiddled with his camera.
Sister Ro absent-mindedly kept the bag for a while after the photo had been taken. When Stan had to prompt her to return it, they all had a big laugh about two nuns being charged with stealing a chicken dinner from a poor out-of-towner in the supermarket.
"Just keep the chicken," Stan laughed. "The story would be worth it."
Stan may be no Catholic but he knew how to chat up the new Pope, as he filled time waiting for Kathleen. Sisters Jo and Ro are particularly proud of this servant of the poor because the pope took the name "Francis" and they are Franciscans from Ohio and St. Francis of Assisi was known for giving up luxury for a life of poverty and dedicating himself to the advancement of the poor. It had by now become abundantly clear that these two sweet women had truly fulfilled the meaning of selfless service to the poor, epitomized by icons like Sister Teresa or Mary Jo Copeland.
Stan was moved by their presence, and said so.
It's called a "Selfie" Sisters. President Obama does it.
So does the Pope.


Eventually Kathleen arrived at the checkout with her basket of groceries, and before you know it, these servants of the poor were helping Kathleen bag her purchases. Since Stan was shooting pictures, he was of little use and received a gentle scolding for putting the sisters to work.
As the conversation drew down, Sister Jo pulled the Catholic school product aside and said softly but directly to her, "I am so proud of you, you married such a fine fellow."
Amen.
What could be better than the unsolicited seal of approval from two sweet, elderly nuns from Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Mother Neilson would have been so proud.