Sister Jean, Loyola's Iconic Chaplain, Retires From On-Campus Duties

The college basketball phenom announced the decision on her 106th birthday.

Sister Jean of Loyola Chicago is stepping away from her on-campus duties at age 106. / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

On her 106th birthday on Tuesday, Sister Jean of Loyola Chicago announced she would be stepping away from the university, essentially "retiring" from her on-campus duties.

College basketball fans will remember Sister Jean as the chaplain to the men's basketball team during the Ramblers' historic Final Four run back in the 2018 NCAA tournament. Sporting her maroon and gold, Sister Jean showed up to every game for the team and rooted them on from the stands, even as she was nearing 100 years old.

Sister Jean become a beloved character in the college basketball world, and her presence at games and on the Chicago campus will surely be missed. It sounds like there's no question that she will be cheering on the Ramblers from home.

"It has been wonderful for me to be with you these years and to watch you grow spiritually, intellectually, and socially, and to see the friends you’ve made. And to see the progress you’ve made in your academic life. I’ve always been happy to share my time with you," Sister Jean wrote in her letter to the students.

When being interviewed a couple years ago, Sister Jean told Sports Illustrated that she took on her newfound fame from the 2018 NCAA tournament with the goal of promoting Loyola Chicago and her congregation.

“What this [fame] all did to my life, I just went with the flow, I guess, and did everything that people were asking me to do,” Sister Jean said in 2023. “If it’s doing some good for my congregation and for Loyola, then I’ll go for it."

Sister Jean definitely stayed true to her word. Whenever the Ramblers needed her, she was there. She worked with Loyola Chicago, and Mundelein College before that, for over 60 years. What a remarkable woman.

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