Forever and Ever, Amen

by Karol Jackowski

Traces the author's eight-year study to become a Catholic nun in the 1960s, an effort that was shaped by factors ranging from the American civil rights movement to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, in a personal account that offers insight into her transition into and daily experiences of convent life.

Genres: Memoir, Religion, Nonfiction, Humor, Biography

288 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 2007

Reviews

[Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out really liking this book. Sister Karol relates her early experiences as a rebellious young nun in a light-hearted (but seldom actually funny, alas) way. I was looking forward, though, to the tone changing as she became more enmeshed in the religious life. It didn't. She continued to describe mostly the rebellious things she and the other sisters did - drinking, smoking, lying to traffic cops, etc. and never described to my satifaction the central appeal to her of the monastic life - the question "Why did you still want to be a nun?" was only briefly broached. She seemed to push against all the things I though of as defining this kind of life - obviously there is something much more to it that I don't understand, and she didn't help me to grasp that. I wanted to hear about how growing up as a nun affected her spiritually, not practically. Also, she covers too much ground in the book. I wish she had chosen one central theme (the most interesting being the change to the sisterhood after Vatican II changed everything) and discussed only the events pertinent to that rather than explaining every single minute of her early life as postulant, novice, then professed sister. Still, it's impossible not to like her attitude and several of the anecdotes were good fun to read.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

All about her life as a nun during a time of sweeping changes in the Catholic church. The first part about how she became a nun and the first years in the sisterhood was interesting, but I got tired of her complaining about how restrictive her life as a nun was. She was the one, after all, who chose to be a nun!

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had nuns as teachers for many, many years (1960-1978). I always wondered what made them "tick" and why so many were either odd or saintly. This is an interesting inside look at what went on in those convents...

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a neat look into convent life in 1960s America.

[Brian Saul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of "Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die" offers a funny, poignant account of her experience of becoming a Catholic nun during the tumultuous 1960s. Not writtenly in a scholarly way at all, Sr. Karol Jackowski, C.S.C. details her own life as a high schooler (known by her friends as "Suds") en route and through her spiritual and emotional formation as a nun in the Congregation of the Holy Cross. A quick read, this book makes it clear how her sense of humor and sometimes cock-eyed outlook on the life in the convent helped her get through it...though she gives these school-girl teasers every now and then as to whether she'll be kicked out of the novitiate or accepted as a Sister of the Holy Cross. Of course, those bottles of booze she had smuggled in didn't hurt her attitude any. They may have hurt her continuance in the sisterhood...you'll just have to read it yourself to find out! When Pope John XXIII ordered the Church "open the windows", sweeping changes stirred up duststorms in many religious orders as well as in Catholic homes. This little upstart, who must have been the bane of the Reverend Mother's existence, gives full account...from her own perspective. For other readers who were schooled by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, she names names as she tells stories out of school. Well after her novitiate superiors had left the scene and in a more enlightened time, the book was published in March of 2007. For our edification, I'm sure!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My next door neighbors growing up had two family friends who became nuns in the 60s - Sister Kate and Sister Renee. Both were fun-loving and hilarious. It shocked me that they were nuns, because I had always been told (and experienced) serious nuns. They never seemed like nuns that I encountered in school or church.

Sister Karol Jackowski reminded me so much of them. While I was too young to hear stories of convent life from Sisters Kate and Renee, I imagine their stories would have been similar to Jackowski's. She is so brutally honest about her decision, convent life during a tumultuous decade, and her eventual final profession of vows. I found the entire book refreshing.

As a cradle Catholic, I have never fully grasped what goes into becoming a nun or priest. This book showed me that not everyone feels called at a very young age (I've always found priests and nuns say things like "I felt called in grade school!"), and that some make the decision impulsively because they felt moved to do so.

It is an easy read, and it definitely contains a lot of Catholic information that non-Catholics may need to research. However, anyone familiar with Catholicism will grasp the references to Mary (given they are the Sisters of the Holy Cross), mysticism, Saints, and novenas.

Definitely worth a read!

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ultimate Reading Challenge 2016. An unfamiliar culture.

Sister Karol Ann Jackowski joined the Sisters of the Holy Cross in 1964 as one of 50 postulants. She was one of only 7 who made their final vows seven years later. She began her life as a nun just before the Vatican II Council and it was while she was still a novice that things began to drastically change. For some, the changes were not enough and taking too long; for others the changes were far too drastic and happening too quickly. Many, many women left their lives as Sisters in the years just after Vatican II. Sister Karol is very open about the fact that often Sisters in one community did NOT get along with others. The order she chose was actually quite lenient compared to some others. I am frankly astonished that with her ongoing fight against the vow of obedience she did not choose to leave early on and was not asked to leave before her final vows. This book seems to concentrate of violations of the vow of obedience. Ultimately, she did choose to leave Holy Cross and join a different Sisterhood. This book, her story, and the story of so many like her saddens me.

[Unwisely · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have an occasional fascination with nun-memoirs, and I forget how, exactly, I stumbled across this book, but it sounded good enough to request from the library.

This book is exactly what it says on the cover - it's about becoming a nun in the 60's. Ms. Jackowski entered just before Vatican II came out, so things start changing radically a couple years in. The whole thing was fascinating to me, but I would have liked to hear more about her, ah, career. For one thing, it's mentioned sort of in passing that she ended up leaving for a different order after over 30 years in, and *that* sounds like a fascinating story, but it's not told here. Which is fine but kind of left me wanting to know more.

[Melly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book -- she entered the convent at age 18(!) in the early 60s along with a class of 50 other women. Only seven of them wound up making their final vows, and I think three are nuns now. I couldn't believe how much time they spent sneaking around and breaking the rules and that their superiors kicked them out so readily. The timing was interesting, too, as she lived through Vatican II and the immense changes it wrought in the sisterhood. Recommended if you are fascinated by nuns -- I am.

[H Hornbacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know anything about nuns...well I thought I knew something about nuns, I'd seen "The Sound of Music". :D Just Kidding.

I really enjoyed this book and the peek it afforded me into the experience of becoming a nun and being a nun. Of course it helps that this view was from a nun I would love to get to know for her sense of humor and her practical take on life and spirituality.

Recommended - entertaining and educational!

[Val · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yeah...this book isn't what I thought it would be. It was a narcissistic romp through the beginning of Jackowski's life as a sister. I thought it was going to be a spiritual autobiography. It wasn't. I found it shallow, hollow, empty, and frankly rather vapid. I also know I'm the personality type she loves to hate. Go read "The Seven Storey Mountain" or something instead.

[Meg Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sister Karol takes her vows in 1965, just as the world, and the Catholic church, is undergoing radical change. Her memoir of the years before she takes her vows is funny, touching and deeply spiritual without being preachy or obnoxious.

[Frances Woodring · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this book, but it was a bit on the boring side. You can read the first few chapters and then the final chapters to get the gist. It was interesting to learn the real reason for the massive exodus from the church.

[Joy Turbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

I wanted to know more about the life of nuns. I read books that trashed the convent and each nun eventually leaving. Finally, a book which showed the difficulties and the route it was in following your heart.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting glimpse into the training and everyday life of a nun; funny and readable.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one started slowly, but I'm starting to enjoy it about a quarter way through.

[BRAIN_QUEEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, insightful account of becoming a sister even during the wild and turbulent 1960's.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good story idea, but could have been soooo much better. Not written very well.

[Erin O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

One woman's story of becoming a nun during the transition after Vatican II. Funny, sweet, inspiring.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book especially because she comes from my area. Didn't realize all the changes the nuns had to go through after Vatican II.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was entertaining and it also answered a lot of questions I've had for years.

[Arlene · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another book that started well but just lost it's steam along the way.