U.S. bishops recommend Sister Thea for sainthood

She might be the most famous nun ever to teach at Viterbo University…and soon, she could become a Catholic saint.

Sister Thea Bowman has been endorsed as a candidate for canonization by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bowman was the first black member of the Franciscan Sisters of La Crosse, and taught English at Viterbo during the 1970’s while also leading a choir at the college.

She became widely known for social activism after returning to her home state of Mississippi, and died of breast cancer at the age of 52.

The unanimous vote by the bishops leads the way to a church examination of Bowman’s life and works, to determine if she meets the standards for sainthood.