Thea Bowman: Faithful and Free

by Maurice J. Nutt CSsR

With every passing year since her death in 1990, more people are recognizing Sister Thea Bowman as one of the most inspiring figures in American Catholic history. This granddaughter of slaves became Catholic on her own initiative at the age of nine. As a Franciscan sister, she lived a wide-ranging ministry of joy, music, and justice.

Now Father Maurice Nutt offers a new biography of Sister Thea that introduces her and sheds new light on who she was. Drawing on careful research and the insights of people who were close to her, Nutt explores her personality, her passion, her mission, and her prayer. He captures Thea Bowman as she an unapologetically African American woman, a religious sister who deeply loved God and the people to whom she ministered through teaching, preaching, and singing, and who embraced the blessing of her ancestry, the wisdom of the “old folks,” and a passion for justice and equality for all God’s children.

Genres: Spirituality

152 pages, Paperback

Published May 29, 2019

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thea Bowman lived a remarkable life, to be sure. She was the granddaughter of slaves and the first -- for many years the only -- black woman to be a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration. What I found most compelling in this narrative, though, was how relatable it was to my life as a white woman in the Midwest, living nearly 30 years after Sister Thea's death.

I don't need to have things in common with those I read about, and I thought I'd find a heroic life within the pages of this biography, sure. I was delighted to also find someone to call a friend, a model for holy living, a saintly person with a sense of humor.

Sister Thea was larger than life: She was determined and faith-filled and unusual. Though she didn't let circumstances get in her way, she also didn't shy away from God's will and path for her life. She transformed what could have been a hurdle -- being black in a time of racial upheaval -- into an opportunity.

This is not only a delightful read -- a cavorting through someone's life -- but it is also an opportunity to see history through the lens of faith.

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a book for class and I am not sure if I am going to write a full post on it or not. I will do that after the class if I do. This is a light biography, one designed for inspiration. I like reading biographies like that because I want to be inspired and not everything has to be heavy. That being said, Thea Bowman is a fascinating character and I would like to read a more thorough biography. It is not that this left details out, but that it wasn't as much depth to her thought as I would have liked.

I do find it interesting that as a nun, she was a professor of preaching and designed a pastoral preparation program that was particularly designed for training priests (mostly white) to work in black Catholic parishes. And she did this in the 1980s.

I am also fascinated that she is approximately the same age as John Perkins and that they grew up less than an hour apart and both came back to Mississippi after time away (in Wisconson and Washington DC for Bowman and California for Perkins) to work in very practical ways with the Black community and against the racism of MS in the 1960-70s. Perkins was in Mendenhall and Jackson and Bowman was in Canton and Jackson. And I can't imagine that they didn't have some interaction at some point. John Perkins is still living, although in his 90s now and Thea Bowman died of cancer in 1990.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best parts of this book were the excerpts from Sister Thea's speeches, presentations and writings -- hearing from her directly. The author never mentions any of Sister Thea's faults. Although she clearly was a holy woman, she obviously had some faults, but we never hear about them, which would have painted a more realistic picture. I hope to keep learning about and from Sister Thea but through her own words.

[Virginia B Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew?

I have been a Catholic for 74 years. I've lived in the Midwest most of these years.
I've been to Vitturbo many times while my granddaughter was a student there. I've celebrated Octoberfest many times in LaCrosse.....and never had I heard of Thea Bowman until this book! I wonder how I could have missed hearing about this exciting and influential woman of color. Now I will be looking for her everywhere!

[Brace1737 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone will enjoy reading about Thea Bowman, a Catholic Franciscan religious sister who raised the awareness of the contributions of Afro-American Catholics. This short book is a good introduction to her life and work.

[Linda Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had known Sr. Thea; reading books about her is the next best thing. I wish the author had included a few photos.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book detailing Sister Thea Bowman, a woman who truly lived her authentic self as God’s will.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story. Looking for a more detailed biography on this great woman.