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Chapter One
Sister Mary Beth
As a novitiate, a novice nun, I have iously, and spirituality tied to for a certain amount of time So, for the next three to five years, I will find s in order to deteriven the name Jacqueline when I was born, but when I was confirrade, I chose Elizabeth as my patron saint Now, I’m Sister Mary Elizabeth, but most everyone calls me Beth I look at myself in the ancient mirror in the bathroom that I share with forty other nuns, all of the sureto worry about it It’s unruly at best, a co easier formy rosary off the hook by the sink, , I turn and leave the dorrab my suitcase I only packed a few habits, so with a pair of sneakers in there Our order is a dress for co as it isn’t too showy, it’s fine Since I don’t knohat exactly I’ll be doing inprepared
This is the best order for me since I don’t always have to wear a habit I a, I think
I was placed in a Catholic orphanage twenty minutes outside of Allentown, Pennsylvania when I was just three years old I was later toldme all alone in the world I was in the car too The only survivor of the six-car pile-up one snowy night That’s why I have faint but very noticeable scars all over the lower half of my body I was trapped in my car seat for hours before rescue workers even realized I was there I know that I survived for a reason and I believe that this is it When the tio to public school over the parochial school at the orphanage, so I at least have soe of the outside world, but this convent is home The only home I can remember I don’t remember my parents, nor do I have a picture of them This is the only life I’ve ever known, so is it any wonder why I don’t want to leave? Why I feel safe here? But that feeling can’t last forever, I know that For the first ti the Church
One of the last things I have to do before they will let me takeup a brand-new church in Wisconsin Mother Superior says that this is just oneline of tests to determine where er has need of o back to Pennsylvania and move on to the next test It should be easy; I think as I board the plane that will takebeen this far west, I a and cleaning for the other nuns I file that thought away because that reason alone ht I wanted in life
On the plane, I run ers over the smooth beads of my Five Decade Rosary as I pray I pray for the safety of this plane and all on board as well as the strength and guidance needed in order to be of service to Father O’Riley Once I arabs ether This isn’t the first ti like this happened due to the way I am dressed, and I am sure that it won’t be the last The woht I push down the pang of sadness I feel at the thought of never having children There are still things I a a nun that I’d never ad
Arriving in Milwaukee, a lot of people stare at nore them because I am not a public spectacle, but I know my habit raises a lot of eyebrows as I head fro area outside As a Benedictine nun, my habit is pretty traditional and basic I shiver as I stand on the curb It’s cold and I didn’t think to bring a coat for so to have to fix that immediately It’s a different kind of cold here Blistery and wet, I freeze as I wait for my ride Father O’Riley is known as the bad boy priest, in that he does things a little differently than that of most priests He’s also ru to me Men don’t turn my head I don’t know about this bad boy-ness yet, but what I do know is that he is late The longer I stand out here, the et Just because I have dedicated et pissed