One Nun's Story: Then and Now [Paperback]

Mary Jane Masterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2009

At the age of five, Mary Jane Masterson's destiny was foretold by a stranger. "That one," said the Brother of Holy Cross, pointing at Mary Jane as he sat comfortably in their living room with her mother, "will be a nun." His prediction, repeated in later years by other friends and acquaintances, became reality when, in 1946 at the age of eighteen, Mary Jane joined the Sisters of St. Joseph and became a "bride of Christ." She adapted quickly to religious life, sharing prayer and living quarters with other nuns, an "elitist group" considered by many in the secular world to have far more than secular access to God's love, a belief encouraged by Vatican I. But as the Second Vatican Council came to a close in 1965, a shift in theology shook Sister Mary Jane to her very core. Had she sacrificed marriage, sex, and children of her own for nothing? Follow Sister Mary Jane on her journey from her calling to the noblest of vocations to her acceptance of how, as a nun, she could affect the world beyond her community and her school.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is my sister. We're in the same religious congregation. She's got a fantastic story to tell about God's unfurling grace in her life as a nun. Not just for a decade or so sixty years! told simply, honestly from the heart. As the Spirit urged St. Augustine, I urge you: 'take and read.'" --Sister Helen Prejean, csj, author of Dead Man Walking

"The unsung heroes of the Catholic Church in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, religious sisters, have stories to tell stories that are moving, inspiring, brave, funny, and encouraging. These unsung heroes' stories remain mostly untold, but not all. Sister Mary Jane Masterson tells her story with wit, humility, and honesty. It is a story of grace-enfleshed." --Rev. Donald Cozzens, author of Freeing Celibacy

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: American Book Publishing Group (January 12, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158982475X
• ISBN-13: 978-1589824751
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 4.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #659,876 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank-you Sister ....., October 22, 2009

By 

Gene Simms (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Nun's Story: Then and Now (Paperback)

for sharing a very personal and spiritual journey. As a product of parochial education my world was challenged and shaped by nuns. I was awed by the habits, the strength of will and determination of the nuns to educate, and especially the compassion expressed towards growing children. I had always treasured my Catholic experience. I never realized, until reading One Nun's Story the personal sacrifice and tribulations the religious lived. The convent was always a mystery. Secrets were well guarded, unless your friend's sibling was a nun you might have a glimpse into the life of a nun. That is, until Sister Mary Jane Masterson decided to share her story. I've had the honor of meeting Sister Mary Jane, and to talk about my own discernment process into the religious. The Catholic Church will always have men and women who consecrate their life to God and Church. To them I give special prayers of thankfulness; what a special gift. Sister Mary Jane's vocation and testimony of that life in One Nun's Story, is a wonderful book to read and experience.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting look inside religious life, September 11, 2009

By 

John P. Fennelly (Cleveland, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Nun's Story: Then and Now (Paperback)

As someone who attended Catholic schools, I enjoyed reading Sister Mary Jane's book and have passed it on to several freinds. Her personal journey takes the reader through Pre Vatican II times up to the present day, detailing how she dealt with the sweeping changes it brought.

I found the book to be both compelling and easy to read. Sister Mary Jane writes with a freedom of style that few people possess. After reading the book, I truly felt that I "knew" Sr. Mary Jane on some level. Living in Cleveland, I am pleased to say I did have the opportunity to meet this wonderful lady after reading her book and found her to be just as delightful in person!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than meets the eye., March 2, 2009

By 

Kim Elder (Lakewood, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Nun's Story: Then and Now (Paperback)

I found looking into the life of a nun to be very interesting. Sister Mary Jane takes you from her childhood through 60 years of living her faith. And not everything is as it appears. Like the cover of her book, the more you look at it, the more you see: an adobe building, crosses, a shadow of a nun with her hands folded in prayer and her veil being lifted as if she is a bride (a bride of Christ), and a vague image of Christ on the Cross appearing in the gated doorway. Sister Mary Jane lets you know that her vocation is to serve God as a nun, but she also lets you know that she is just as human as everyone else. I'd have to say, she is a very special person.