Vatican II had made it's mark--even on tiny little Johnsonburg, my Pennsylvania hometown. Our local Pastor at Holy Rosary had stripped away all of the ornamentation of our turn of the century brick church and replaced the grand altar with a single cross depicting the risen Christ. As a child artist, I was appalled. All that ornamentation and beauty stripped away for this? Sister Jude Marie was not only the homeroom teacher, she was also the Religious Education instructor. To say that she was unconventional was an understatement. During Lent of that year our class listened to the entire soundtrack of the movie version of the Broadway smash "Jesus Christ Superstar." It was my first time hearing any of these songs with the exception of one that had made it onto the pop charts and had been given some radio airplay. That song was "I Don't Know How To Love Him" sung by Yvonne Elliman--who later had a top ten hit with "If I Can't Have You" from the "Saturday Night Fever" motion picture soundtrack. Sister Jude Marie made contemporary music an integral part of our religious training. Each week, the Diocesan newspaper, Erie Pennsylvania's "Lake Shore Visitor" had a column which gave a spiritual lesson on a contemporary song. We would discuss the lyrics (printed and handed out to the class) and how they might apply to our own spiritual lives. I can remember the song "Rich Girl" by Hall & Oates as being one of the songs we listened and read the lyrics to. The "Lake Shore Visitor" did not print the word "bitch" but just put a dash where the word would have been. Sister Jude Marie didn't hesitate to say the word and wonder aloud why it wasn't printed. I always looked forward to her interpretations of the song's meanings each week.
I think Sister Jude Marie liked me although she did not play favorites--at all. She could be a gentle disciplinarian when it was called for. Still, there was absolutely no meanness as one so often hears or reads about from others who reflect on nun experiences from their Catholic grade school years. Sister Jude Marie was fair. I was able to detect this as a wary 6th grader. There was no doubt she was fair.
One assignment she had given our religion class was to share a place that was special to us. A place where we could contemplate or pray. I remember well what I shared. I often took walks to a clearing at the top of a hill a little distance from our house. It was a heavily wooded area and the clearing gave an impressive view of the surrounding hills and forest. It was there that the strange kid that I was arranged rocks into a small grotto and placed a plastic statue of the Virgin Mary as well as another of Jesus with the Sacred Heart. I shared this thinking that it would most certainly impress Sister. All I can remember from the A grade I got back was a note that said "WOW Tom" and I was never quite sure if she believed I'd actually done such a thing. But it was true. I actually did.
I missed Sister Jude Marie after my stint at Holy Rosary. I'd completely lost touch with her but always had fond memories of her unconventional classroom. With the advent of Facebook, I decided to take a chance and look her up and--lo and behold--there she was with a profile. I "friended" her and took great pleasure in allowing her to see what I'd made of my life. She and her classroom will always have a special place in my heart.
