BUZZ
Loyola University Chicago announced the death of its famous 106-year-old nun, Sister Jean Schmidt.
Sister Jean was already a well-known fixture at the Chicago Catholic university but drew further interest during an improbably Final Four run in 2018 by the men’s basketball team.
She served as the chaplain to the team and regularly traveled to basketball games. For many years she also lived in an on-campus dorm, making herself available to talk to students.
“In many roles at Loyola over the course of more than 60 years, Sister Jean was an invaluable source of wisdom, grace, and inspiration for generations of students, faculty, and staff,” President Mark Reed wrote late last night in an email to the university community. “Her ministry was one of presence, and she was part of the fabric of our daily lives at Loyola.”
He gave further information about her role on campus:
In addition to her work with Loyola’s basketball team, Sister Jean also held weekly prayer groups for students and started a program called SMILE (Students Moving into the Lives of the Elderly), which paired Loyola students with residents of The Clare, the assisted living community on the Water Tower Campus that she called home for many years. She received many honors at the University, including an induction into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017 and receipt of the Sword of Loyola in 2018.
He said more information would be shared later about a funeral Mass.
