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Sister Jane Schilling: A model of faith

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Sister Jane Edward Schilling, CSJ, died on Sept. 13, 2017. Sister Jane was a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet based in St. Louis, but she is most known in Indianapolis as the co-founder of Martin University along with Father Boniface Hardin, OSB. Even though Martin University is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Sister Janeā€™s contributions to the Indianapolis community go well beyond that. And I think that an examination of her contributions can provide us a concrete example of what can happen when you let faith guide you in your life.

Sister Jane came to Indianapolis in 1964 as a teacher at Holy Angels Catholic School, the same year that I was in the eighth grade. One of her contributions, which she began in her very first year, was the Holy Angels Drum and Bugle Corps. At the time, people had all sorts of doubts and questions. Whoever heard of a Drum and Bugle Corps in an elementary school, much less a small, inner city elementary school? And besides that, where would she get the instruments and other materials needed in order to make this happen? But there is one thing about faith: If you act on it, it opens you up to the creativity of the Holy Spirit, and great things can happen. Before you knew it, the Holy Angels Drum and Bugle Corps was not only marching in parades in downtown Indianapolis, but the ensemble was also receiving invitations to be in parades across the country. Even today, there are still those who brag about their time in the Drum and Bugle Corps.

But all of this was not just about starting a marching band; this was a part of Sister Janeā€™s commitment to do what she could to enable people to achieve the highest potential that they could. She realized that one of the main obstacles in keeping people from achieving their highest potential was racism. So in 1970, she left Holy Angels and joined with Father Boniface in starting the Martin Center. The purpose of the Martin Center was to conduct anti-racism training in order to remove that obstacle that would hold people back. This was right at the end of the civil rights movement, and again there would be doubts and questions. What was anti-racism training? How would it work? Who would do it? Once again, stepping out on faith, Martin Center began. Pretty soon, major corporations in Indianapolis were sending their employees to undergo their training.

A few years later, they became interested in the disease known as sickle cell. There was not much work going on in this area, because the disease affected mostly African-Americans. And because work on sickle cell was so scarce, it became another obstacle holding people back from reaching their full potential. So again, stepping out on faith, Sister Jane, along with Father Boniface and Dr. Raymond Pierce began the Sickle Cell Institute. Overcoming the doubts and questions as to how this would succeed, the Institute soon became a leader in research and became the center for testing newborns in Indianapolis.

Through their work at Martin Center, they realized that one of the major obstacles that held people back was lack of education. So in 1977, Father Boniface and Sister Jane co-founded Martin Center College. The College had a unique focus, as it was primarily intended for the adult learner ā€” those who had been out of school for a number of years but needed a degree in order to progress in their career or their job. As a result of this stepping out on faith, numerous people have achieved degrees, and the school itself, now Martin University, is 40 years old.

Sister Jane leaves us a legacy that if you step out in faith, creativity takes place, obstacles can be overcome and great things can happen. Ā 

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Father Kenneth Taylor is pastor of Holy Angels Catholic Church and St. Rita Catholic Church. He can be reached at fatherkt@mailhaven.com.

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