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Parish News: Meet Music Minister Sister Mary Jane Sister Mary Jane Hebert is well known as being an integral part of the music ministry at Our Lady of the Sioux, Oglala, SD. On any given Sunday, you will find her with her guitar leading the parish in song. Over the years she has had musicians accompany her on instruments ranging from the flute to the keyboard. Sr. Mary Jane grew up in small town in Illinois the oldest of four girls. Her father was a tool and dye maker and her mother stayed home with the girls until the youngest started school. Sr. Mary Jane attended Notre Dame Grade School in Bourbonnais, Illinois and St. Joseph Seminary High School in Kankakee, Illinois. Upon graduation in 1960, she entered the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois and a Master’s Degree in the Teaching of Religious Studies from St. Joseph College in Winooski, Vermont, all the while teaching. Over the years, Sr. Mary Jane has taught in Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and New York; before coming to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1988. She currently teaches Religion to grades fifth through eighth, handles all grade school concessions, and is in charge of finances for Red Cloud Indian School’s grade school. Sr. Mary Jane got involved with music ministry in 1971, but music has been part of her life since a very early age. She played the piano for thirteen years starting in elementary school. According to Sr. Mary Jane, “I picked up the guitar, because it was easier to carry.” As a testament to her strength, Sr. Mary Jane survived the tornado of 1999 that wiped out the town of Oglala, Sr. Mary Jane, her 87 year old mother, and two other sisters were sitting in the living room of their trailer house when the tornado struck. According to Sr. Mary Jane, “Everything started to disappear around us and we were being struck by the flying objects.” Sr. Mary Jane suffered a broken rib and her mother injured her hand. The sisters rebuilt their home in the same place; this time adding a basement. In her spare time, Sr. Mary Jane likes to support her favorite sports team “The Bears”. In her words, “I cook when it is necessary. I’m not as good with a spatula or a blender as I am with a screwdriver and pliers.” If you are interested in learning more about the music ministry program at Our Lady of the Sioux Church, contact Sr. Connie Schmidt at 605-867-5673. Shannon Grooms is a member of Our Lady of the Sioux Church. She taught Religion at Red Cloud Elementary School for four years until the birth of their oldest daughter. Shannon, her husband, and her two daughters live on a ranch nine miles north of Oglala, SD. Join us in our mission of educating the mind and spirit of the Lakota people, now and for future generations. Please consider an online gift. |
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