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Thea’s Song: a book about Sister Thea Bowman

by Sister Julie on May 11, 2010 J.M.J.A.T.

in blog post, catholic sisters and nuns

A new book about Sister Thea Bowman is now available. Thea’s Song: The Life of Thea Bowman is written by Charlene Smith and John Feister, and it is published by Orbis Books (January 30, 2010). Sister Thea has been hailed as the “patron saint of racial reconciliation”. She was a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration of La Crosse, Wisconsin, who “become widely known as a promoter of intercultural awareness in Mississippi churches as well as in black or mixed parishes across the United States. She was a popular educator, evangelist and gospel singer.”

Read more about Sister Thea and about the book Thea’s Song in Friar Jack’s E-spirations (April 28, 2010). Here are some selections:

“Thea owed much of her spirituality to the Franciscan tradition,” write the authors of Thea’s Song. “She projected an authentic, happy style…. Be joyful, be peaceful. Reach out; help the poor, the outcasts of society, the sick, the psychologically needy. Divest yourself of possessions and give to the poor….” Coauthor Charlene Smith, F.S.P.A., was Thea’s classmate and remembers well her love for St. Francis and St. Clare.

“St. Francis had loved nature, and, in turn, nature was responsive to Francis in unusual ways. Thea shared this gift. Growing up in the South, where the climate lured people to the out of doors much of the year, Thea had learned to revel in nature. She learned to appreciate Brother Sun, Sister Moon, and Mother Earth, as St. Francis called them. In his spirit, she knew how to treat all of nature as neighbor: love the animals and all sentient beings and they will reflect love back to you. She continued to be fascinated by birds–and enjoyed warbling back to them!” (Thea’s Song: The Life of Thea Bowman, p. 138)….

Thea’s Song, as embodied in this Life of Thea Bowman, will surely live on in the memory of those who read this book. And who knows? Someday she may officially be declared a saint, as many call her now. The memory of Sister Thea will live on, as well, in all who continue to seek “racial reconciliation” with her kind of joy, courage and sparkle.

Check out the book Thea’s Song: The Life of Thea Bowman by Charlene Smith and John Feister and also Friar Jack’s E-spiration on Sister Thea.

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