Prelude: Part II
Sister Jane leaving Ukiah
By MARTIN BRADLEY
Special to The Daily Journal
Sept. 25, 2011
“All my friends are returning to the mother house, I want to be there.” Sister Jane Kelly explained of her decision to leave Ukiah after 38 years. She will be returning to the Sisters of The Presentation Convent in San Francisco. “I can’t go to Plowshares Community Dining room anymore” said the now frail eighty one year old nun, “Plowshares was my mission here.”
She has said many times that when she was faced with the decision in 2005 to return to the Presentation Sisters convent, she chose to leave the Order. “I could not in good conscience leave my ministry here and return to the city and the security the Order offered.”
Her main task then was to help raise money for a larger kitchen and multi-use facility at Plowshares. When the new building was completed in January of 2008, while others took the limelight and cut the ribbon, Jane stepped back. Plowshares was paid in full with $250,000 in capital reserves.
Jane continued to visit guests at Plowshares and attend board meetings until injuries from a 1978 car accident limited her mobility.
* * *
Arriving in 1973, Sister Jane organized the St. Mary of the Angels Parish School of Religion (separate from St. Mary’s grade school). Her parish ministry expanded to the Native American community, visiting the Rancheria’s and advocating for children and families. She served on the board of the non-profit Senior Indian Nutrition Center.
In 1977, Sr. Jane was asked to serve on the Ukiah Planning Commission. With no vested interest in property, Sr. Jane made decisions based on the needs of the community, not on what was most expedient or with the highest profit return for a land developer.
Her most memorable actions was in October 1978 when she walked out of a planning commission hearing. A negative declaration of environmental impact was to be voted on for a large subdivision. Even with strong opposition in the audience, a vote that evening would result 2-1 for approving the project. Three other commissioners were absent. “I felt like I was being railroaded” Sr. Jane explained. By walking out, there was no quorum, no vote could be taken.
Ultimately, an Environmental Impact Report was required and approved in July 1979. As a result, further changes to meet community needs were made in the use permit process.
In 1983, Sr. Jane was asked by a group of young activists to help plan a Community Dining Room. To serve a free meal to hungry families and the homeless in Ukiah resonated with Jane’s core values as a Presentation Sister. She in turn gave credibility to the unknown group of young Ukiah newcomers organizing the Plowshares Peace and Justice Center.
Jane’s reputation in Ukiah drew support from members of the community that none of us knew. She packed the public hearings with supporters for our use permits. Our requests were approved.
Sr. Jane’s honesty and integrity combined with her keen knack of one-to-one fundraising enabled Plowshares Community Dining Room to open and thrive. She touched a segment of the population that would have shied away from volunteering to cook and serve at the dining room.
There have been other challenges in Ukiah for Sr. Jane. As sexual misconduct by Catholic priests was coming to light in Boston, Sr. Jane knew of accusations that a priest in Ukiah was sexually molesting young men.
The leadership of the Diocese of Santa Rosa tried to cover up the story until Sr. Jane went to the press. In January of 1999, the headline “Catholic Nun Blows Whistle” was on the front page. By the end of July, 1999, Bishop Ziemann of the Santa Rosa Diocese had resigned, shocking the community further, confessing to having consensual sex with the same Ukiah priest.
Sr. Jane paid a price for speaking the truth. She was shunned by many in the male hierarchy of the church, though the Sisters of the Presentation continued to support her.
* * *Looking back, I remember one meeting for Plowshares. A person asked where Sister Jane was. “I think she was called back to the mother ship for the weekend.” It was an understandable mistake from the diverse group, “Not mother ship; mother house” I replied, referring to the main convent for an Order of Catholic nuns.
For the past 38 years that Jane Kelly has lived in Ukiah, she has had an otherworldly ability to stand with the poor and be a voice for voiceless. Whether she was on a mission from God or from distant planet descending from the “mother ship”, people have been in awe of of her determination and her success.
Six years after her refusal to return to the mother house, Sister Jane is now ready to go back. “It will be difficult. I cried all the way up here in 1973, now I’m going to cry all the back.”
I was with Sr. Jane when Sr. Rosina, the Vice President of the Sister of Presentation Order, visited Jane to make arrangements for her return.
She offered words of assurance. “Jane, remember the quote of our missionary sisters? ‘We go where we are needed but not wanted and stay until we are wanted but no longer needed."
Martin Bradley can be reached at bradleym@pacific.net
By MARTIN BRADLEY
Special to The Daily Journal
Sept. 25, 2011
“All my friends are returning to the mother house, I want to be there.” Sister Jane Kelly explained of her decision to leave Ukiah after 38 years. She will be returning to the Sisters of The Presentation Convent in San Francisco. “I can’t go to Plowshares Community Dining room anymore” said the now frail eighty one year old nun, “Plowshares was my mission here.”
She has said many times that when she was faced with the decision in 2005 to return to the Presentation Sisters convent, she chose to leave the Order. “I could not in good conscience leave my ministry here and return to the city and the security the Order offered.”
Her main task then was to help raise money for a larger kitchen and multi-use facility at Plowshares. When the new building was completed in January of 2008, while others took the limelight and cut the ribbon, Jane stepped back. Plowshares was paid in full with $250,000 in capital reserves.
Jane continued to visit guests at Plowshares and attend board meetings until injuries from a 1978 car accident limited her mobility.
* * *
Arriving in 1973, Sister Jane organized the St. Mary of the Angels Parish School of Religion (separate from St. Mary’s grade school). Her parish ministry expanded to the Native American community, visiting the Rancheria’s and advocating for children and families. She served on the board of the non-profit Senior Indian Nutrition Center.
In 1977, Sr. Jane was asked to serve on the Ukiah Planning Commission. With no vested interest in property, Sr. Jane made decisions based on the needs of the community, not on what was most expedient or with the highest profit return for a land developer.
Her most memorable actions was in October 1978 when she walked out of a planning commission hearing. A negative declaration of environmental impact was to be voted on for a large subdivision. Even with strong opposition in the audience, a vote that evening would result 2-1 for approving the project. Three other commissioners were absent. “I felt like I was being railroaded” Sr. Jane explained. By walking out, there was no quorum, no vote could be taken.
Ultimately, an Environmental Impact Report was required and approved in July 1979. As a result, further changes to meet community needs were made in the use permit process.
In 1983, Sr. Jane was asked by a group of young activists to help plan a Community Dining Room. To serve a free meal to hungry families and the homeless in Ukiah resonated with Jane’s core values as a Presentation Sister. She in turn gave credibility to the unknown group of young Ukiah newcomers organizing the Plowshares Peace and Justice Center.
Jane’s reputation in Ukiah drew support from members of the community that none of us knew. She packed the public hearings with supporters for our use permits. Our requests were approved.
Sr. Jane’s honesty and integrity combined with her keen knack of one-to-one fundraising enabled Plowshares Community Dining Room to open and thrive. She touched a segment of the population that would have shied away from volunteering to cook and serve at the dining room.
There have been other challenges in Ukiah for Sr. Jane. As sexual misconduct by Catholic priests was coming to light in Boston, Sr. Jane knew of accusations that a priest in Ukiah was sexually molesting young men.
The leadership of the Diocese of Santa Rosa tried to cover up the story until Sr. Jane went to the press. In January of 1999, the headline “Catholic Nun Blows Whistle” was on the front page. By the end of July, 1999, Bishop Ziemann of the Santa Rosa Diocese had resigned, shocking the community further, confessing to having consensual sex with the same Ukiah priest.
Sr. Jane paid a price for speaking the truth. She was shunned by many in the male hierarchy of the church, though the Sisters of the Presentation continued to support her.
* * *Looking back, I remember one meeting for Plowshares. A person asked where Sister Jane was. “I think she was called back to the mother ship for the weekend.” It was an understandable mistake from the diverse group, “Not mother ship; mother house” I replied, referring to the main convent for an Order of Catholic nuns.
For the past 38 years that Jane Kelly has lived in Ukiah, she has had an otherworldly ability to stand with the poor and be a voice for voiceless. Whether she was on a mission from God or from distant planet descending from the “mother ship”, people have been in awe of of her determination and her success.
Six years after her refusal to return to the mother house, Sister Jane is now ready to go back. “It will be difficult. I cried all the way up here in 1973, now I’m going to cry all the back.”
I was with Sr. Jane when Sr. Rosina, the Vice President of the Sister of Presentation Order, visited Jane to make arrangements for her return.
She offered words of assurance. “Jane, remember the quote of our missionary sisters? ‘We go where we are needed but not wanted and stay until we are wanted but no longer needed."
Martin Bradley can be reached at bradleym@pacific.net