About the Author
Biography
Karol
Jackowski’s life as a nun began in 1964 when she joined the Sisters of
the Holy Cross in Notre Dame, Indiana. She graduated from Saint Mary’s
College in 1969 with a B.A. in sociology, and then from the University
of Notre Dame (across the street from Saint Mary’s) in 1974 with a M.A.
in theology. Karol spent half of her life as a nun at Saint Mary’s
College, first as a student and then as an administrator in various
capacities, the last seven years as Vice President and Dean of Student
Affairs. In 1990, she moved to New York City to finish a Ph.D. in
Higher Education Administration at New York University. During
this time, she also helped a former nun friend with her business as the
chief operating officer of her East Village novelty and gift stores
called Alphabets.
In 1995,
Karol left the Sisters of the Holy Cross and became part of the
Sisters for Christian Community, an independent, self-governing
sisterhood. She is now a full-time writer (with part-time day jobs),
and painter of religious folk art.
Television Appearances:
The O’Reilly Factor – Taped
interview aired March 1, 2004
Speakeasy, Co-Host TV Talk Show,
Cablevision Magrack Program, 2000-2002
CNN
Christmas Interview with Soledad O’Brien, December 25th, 2001.
The Early Show (CBS-TV) – Live
Interview with Bryant Gumbel. March 8, 2000.
WPXN-TV
/ Daybreak – Bill Owens. Taped Interview. Aired March 19, 2000.
The Ainsley Harriott Show – Taped
Interview. Aired April 21, 2000.
Eyewitness News Sunday Morning
(WABC-TV) –Taped Interview. Aired: April 21, 2000.
Weekend Today in New York
(WNBC-TV), David Novarro. Taped Interview. Aired: April 23, 2000.
MEDIA
TELEVISION / City TV / Toronto. Sheila Cameron. Taped Interview.
Aired: May 4, 2000.
WNYW-TV
(FOX)/ Everyday People. Wendy Lehman.
Taped
Interview. Aired: May 6, 2000.
ABC-TV/
She TV. Magee Hickey. Taped Interview. Aired: May 16, 2000.
Radio
Interviews
Spotlight ABC RADIO NETWORK.
Bill Diehl. Taped Interview. March 8, 2000.
Joey
Reynolds Show – WOR-AM. National Live Interview. Aired: March 8,
2000.
Live and
taped interviews with stations in Wisconsin, Missouri, Virginia,
Upstate New York, California, Michigan, Utah (NPR), Minnesota (NPR),
North Dakota, Colorado, Arizona, Indiana, Illinois, Florida,
Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas, Toronto, Montreal, and London, Ontario.
Newspaper
and Magazines
ROSIE
Magazine, “A Nun’s Story: What I Know About the Priests’
Scandal,” November, 2002.
PEOPLE
Magazine, “Sister Karol’s Book of Spells and Blessings.” Book review by
Debby Waldman. November 26, 2001
The Star
Ledger (Newark). “Sister Karol explains it all to you,” Peter Genovese,
November 13, 2000.
Inside Bookselling this Week, “Ten
Fun Thing$ to do before You Die over the Holiday$”, November 13, 2000.
ELLE,
(Italian Edition), “Scherzi da Suora,” Luca Dini, July, 2000.
The Journal News, White Plains, NY,
“Mermaids,” Georgette Gouveia, Thursday, June 22, 2000.
NEW YORK
POST, “Knickknack nun serves God with glee,” Andrea Peyser, Wednesday,
May 10, 2000.
PEOPLE
Magazine, “Happy Habits,” April 24, 2000.
The New York Times, “Ways to Have
Fun: A Nun’s Tale,” Alex Witchel, Sunday, March 26, 2000.
Publications
Forever and Ever, Amen: Becoming a Nun in
the Sixties, Riverhead Press, 2007
Good Cooking Habits: Food for your body,
your soul, and your funnybone. Ave Maria Press, Notre
Dame, Indiana, 2005
The Silence We Keep: A Nun’s View of the
Catholic Priest Scandal (Hardcover), Harmony, 2004; Paperback,
Three Rivers Press, 2005.
Sister Karol’s Book of Spells and Blessings,
New York: Hyperion, November, 2001.
Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die
(revised), New York: Hyperion, March, 2000. (translated in Korean,
Japanese, Chinese, and German)
Divine Madness: Why I still want to be a
Nun, Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, Indiana. Publication Dates:
1996 – 1999.
Ten Fun Things to Do before You Die,
(original), Ave Maria Press, Publication Dates: 1989 – 1999.
Let the Good Times Roll,
(cookbook), Ave Maria Press. Publication Dates: 1980 – 1994.
Home on the Range (cookbook), Ave
Maria Press. Publication Dates: 1982 – 1991.
