Longtime chaplain for Loyola Chicago’s men’s basketball team, Sister Jean, has retired at 106 because of health concerns. The school’s student newspaper, The Loyola Phoenix, announced her retirement earlier this month.
Sister Jean rose to the spotlight during Loyola Chicago’s trip to the Final Four in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. She was spotted cheering courtside throughout the Ramblers’ improbable run.
She published a memoir in 2023, “Wake Up with Purpose! What I’ve Learned in My First 100 Years,” sharing lessons she’d learned throughout her life and offering spiritual advice. Sister Jean turned 106 on Aug. 21.
Born in 1919, Sister Jean served as the team’s chaplain for 30 years, providing players with support, mentorship and encouragement. She became a beloved figure at the university and a local celebrity in the community.
A member of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she also worked as a teacher, administrator and principal, as well as coached basketball and other sports.
TODAY.com spoke with the centenarian in 2024, where she reflected on the love and support she’s received from the school and students.
“I love every bit of it. … It just makes me very joyful,” Sister Jean said. “I don’t consider it really working. I just have so much fun. These students are a joy to work with. I learn so much from them, and I know they learn from me.”
At the time, she shared that one of her secrets to longevity was to never retire. Sister Jean, however, had previously retired when she was 75 in 1994.
That didn’t last long as she was asked to be the chaplain for the men’s basketball team, which became “the most transformational and transcendent position of my life,” she wrote in her book.
She told TODAY.com that it was important for her to have a purpose in life.
“There’s more work for me to do. I don’t like to sit around. I just like talking to people or doing something good for others,” she said, adding that being busy is “fun.”