More links for the Thea News subsection

Select One Thea 'Soul Corner' Cartoon Bowman house safe haven Thea "Brilliantly Clear Choice' Thea Bowman in the News Thea remembered Artist Creates Print Shooting Star Book Reprint Thea's Influence Continues with New Book Sister Thea Bowman Thea Icon Unveiled

Telling Sister Thea's story

Thea Bowman, FSPA (1937-1990). An African American raised in Mississippi and a convert to Catholicism . . . . After a celebrated career in higher education, she turned her tremendous energy and love toward teaching others the beauty of a multicultural world. Bowman’s love of music, her candid and uncompromising personal acceptance of all people, and her stirring reminders of the justice and peace implications of the Gospel made an impact on millions of people . . . .Excerpted from Prayer with Searchers and Saints by Edward F. Gabriele. Illustration by Michael O. McGrath

On a warm and breezy August afternoon in La Crosse, more than 80 FSPA and friends gathered to bless Thea House. This eight-room apartment will be command central for the Thea Bowman Legacy project. On that August day the sisters came together to give their blessings and support for the initiative which will connect the people and works that have been carrying Sister Thea’s light since her death in 1990.

Sister Charlene Smith, one of Sister Thea’s many close friends, has been thinking about this idea for several years. Completing her term as congregational secretary has provided the opportunity to develop the concept.

This will be an ambitious project. Sister Charlene has determined that Thea’s spirit will be its guiding light. Sister Thea touched many souls and spread her talents and ideas all over the world. Sister Charlene recognizes that Thea’s story needs to be told in a powerful way.

The vision

"She was so full of joy! That’s what I want to come through whatever I do that’s related to Thea," says Sister Charlene. Researching and writing a definitive biography will be the first goal. "The book needs to be visual – Thea’s way – she was someone you went to see."

Sister Charlene continues, "Out of the biography I hope to grow a film. I have a great affinity for film. I believe that film changes people’s consciousness more easily than the written word." She sees a full-length feature film - a major studio production.

While a book and screenplay will be a central focus of the project, there will be other outcomes. When Sister Charlene visited Thea’s hometown, Canton, Miss., last year, several people expressed interest in starting a guild. The guild would support efforts to get Sister Thea better known. To spread the word, a guild needs a newsletter.

Sister Maria Friedman, former FSPA communications director, has agreed to edit that newsletter. She will begin her work in 2001. Besides promoting greater awareness of Sister Thea, the newsletter will keep friends of Thea informed and connected. Other communication efforts will include an interactive website and public presentations.

The foundation

"The more people find out that somebody is seriously beginning to work on a book, the more friends of Thea offer their help. I am getting calls and letters; people are very interested," Sister Charlene comments. This interest combined with a wealth of documentation on Sister Thea provides the starting point for the project.

Sister Jolyce Greteman, FSPA archivist, routinely responds to requests for information on Sister Thea. Archives staff built a database of resources, events, writings and general information about her. Sister Ronalda Hophan, heritage curator, has collected and displayed many of Thea’s awards, belongings and several portraits of her.

An Internet search for Thea Bowman brings up over 200 matches. Her life, her work and her spirituality are the subjects of numerous books and essays. She is pictured next to Martin Luther King Jr. and Dorothy Day. Her story is told with the stories of saints and prophets.

While Sister Thea lived she gave interviews for an autobiography. The autobiography was never published but the transcripts were kept. Sister Charlene laughs and smiles as she says, "They are a gold mine." With a different sort of laughter Sister Charlene confesses that she discarded all of her correspondence from Thea. In those letters Sister Thea shared her dreams and troubles, her vision and her hopes with Sister Charlene.

The quest

"What surprises me is how ten years after she died, people call or write as if they just met her yesterday. She is fresh, alive in their minds and hearts," reflects Sister Charlene. She is hoping to capture the essence of Sister Thea still carried by many. She plans to survey people who knew her. Through the survey she will identify friends, family, students and colleagues who agree to be interviewed.

Sister Charlene has been told of a gentleman from Canton, Miss., who videotaped Sister Thea when she spoke in Jackson and Canton, Miss. Viewing those tapes may offer new insights.

Visiting places where Sister Thea lived and taught is another part of the research. Sister Charlene plans to travel to Mississippi, New Orleans and Washington, D.C., and other U.S. cities. Sister Thea visited Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Kenya. She gave workshops for the Maryknoll Sisters in Tanzania. Sister Charlene will try to revive these African connections.

After profiling Sister Thea for a 1987 segment, CBS correspondent Mike Wallace said, "You simply couldn’t come away from a session with Sister Thea without sharing that special sense of joy she seemed to bring to everything she turned her hand to . . . ."

According to Sister Charlene, Thea’s legacy is her love and this special sense of joy. She says, "She was great; she impacted many people." The Thea Bowman Legacy project will carry her message forward into the new century. Sister Charlene says, "Thea is behind this project, because so far doors are opening, everything is going as smooth as silk."

Send Thea artifacts, memorabilia and stories to Charlene Smith, FSPA 912 Market St. La Crosse, WI 54601. TEL 608.791.5618 FAX 608.784.7390 Email csmith@fspa.org

Click here to return to the Thea News page.