Saying goodbye to ‘Nun Grandma’: The San
Francisco philanthropist, widow and mother of
10 who gave it all up to spend her last 31 years
in a Des Plaines monastery
Chicago Tribune,
by
Kori Rumore
Original Article
Posted By: AltaD,
6/12/2021 9:42:07 AM
Before her death Saturday at 92, Sister Mary Joseph of the Trinity, O.C.D. , was the world’s most unlikely nun — a former millionaire with 10 children, 28 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. (Snip) The deeply religious couple made a pact that, if one died, the other would join a religious order. When Richard died of cancer in 1984, Ann Miller did exactly that, giving away all her riches and joining the Carmelite Monastery of St. Joseph in Des Plaines, five years after her husband’s death.
She entered self-imposed withdrawal by joining the contemplative cloistered order, able to leave only for medical treatment.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
Zbogwan2 6/12/2021 10:11:51 AM (No. 813497)
God Bless Good Sister Mary Joseph and Speed her on to heaven!
12 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
poliposter 6/12/2021 10:56:13 AM (No. 813546)
That is an incredible story! Thanks for posting.
8 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
zephyrgirl 6/12/2021 11:32:48 AM (No. 813575)
While I admire her faith, the way she treated her son Mark doesn't sound very Christian to me - demanding that he quit dating a particular woman, and when he didn't, kicking him out of the house at 18, not seeing him for years after, demanding that he give his daughter a particular name and later not acknowledging the daughter's given name. Granted we only see his side of the story, but that behavior seems extreme.
3 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
spacer 6/12/2021 11:35:39 AM (No. 813579)
In todays world it seems an impossibility for this kind of life to exist. God truly does work in mysterious way.
3 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
poliposter 6/12/2021 11:36:31 AM (No. 813581)
I think that was the point made in the article, #3. Not all of her children supported her lifestyle. It is an incredible story.
5 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Timber Queen 6/12/2021 1:10:01 PM (No. 813673)
The beautiful tradition in Catholicism for a surviving spouse to enter cloistered life after the death of their beloved began early in the first century. Our history is full of such instances, even including both spouses entering religious life when their children all reach adulthood. Many have been consecrated as saints, and most have been misunderstood by friends and family. The religious life is demanding physically and spiritually, but it grants the greatest of consolations because the Love of God infuses every aspect of their living.
I admired her strong handling of her then 18-year-old son Mark, whom was obviously still living at home under her support and parental guidance. It seem obvious that he was in an out-of-wedlock sexual relationship and chose sinful behavior over the moral teachings of the religion of his parents. His mother took the appropriate stand and I'm sure it broke her heart, but she could not condone mortal sin under her own roof. Mark made the decision, choosing to live outside the bounds of his religious upbringing. I admire her strength in this hurtful situation; she chose God's ways even if it damaged her earthly relationship with her son. How many times do we write about the slide into immorality our society is experiencing? How many times has someone asked, "Where were the parents?" Well, in this instance the parent did the hard thing, the morally right thing. As to the name of the granddaughter, I would assume Mark chose some "modern" name, rather than a saint's name as is the Catholic tradition. Mark's problems with his mother were his own making, and Sister Mary Joseph need make no apologies.
As the various religious orders "opened up" during the horrible implementation of Vatican II, those orders have dwindled and many convents and monasteries closed. The orders that retained the old habit are thriving with new novitiates. Our bishop founded a new traditional teaching order for our diocese ten years ago with three sisters. Today they have fifteen members and are in the process of refurbishing an old closed convent for the new order. As our world becomes more secular and socialistic, I believe the religious life will see a great resurgence. The more the commies try to deny God, more good souls will answer His Call.
God bless Sister Mary Joseph, her children and grandchildren.
10 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
vinegrower 6/12/2021 3:06:02 PM (No. 813775)
This is a very interesting story. I have lived in the Bay Area all my life so I have known about the story of Ann Miller for many years. I admire her dedication to her faith but I find leaving her family to be extremely selfish. There was no reason to become a cloistered nun. I am surprised that the convent didn't object to her leaving her family and advise her to join a more open order.
3 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
paloalto 6/12/2021 6:10:31 PM (No. 813930)
They say the shoemaker's children always go barefoot. My sympathies are with Mark here. Sister Mary Joseph sounds like a difficult mother to please, someone who was more charitable to those outside the family than those inside the family. Maybe the siblings who didn't complain about her being cloistered had good reason. Honestly, she sounds like a pain in the neck.
2 people like this.
Will somebody send this story to Nasty Nancy ? She has one food on a banana peel and needs to come clean ?
1 person likes this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
danu 6/13/2021 7:42:35 PM (No. 814874)
we knew a kind , innocent and lovely boy who was 15 when he was plucked up by a married, raging dysfunctional, pushing 30.
she isolated him from family , friends and school--pushing him into a cesspit of sex, drugs, mental illness, and criminality.
his family was good, decent and honourable. and overwhelmed.
and betrayed by police and school officials.
#8 may be far too quick to judge.
1 person likes this.
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