Playfully dribbling a basketball, Sister Joseph Leo Pietrowski isquick with her hands, dominating center court in the gym at BishopFenwick High School. She never wore a brown-and-gold Fenwickuniform, but for the last 22 years, the Crusaders have had no biggerfan than the high-spirited nun affectionately known as 'Sister Joe.'
She sold tickets at basketball and football games. She struttedthe sidelines during football and field hockey practices. Above all,though, she cheered religiously for every Fenwick team, no matter ifthey won or lost.
'I just love sports,' Pietrowski, 69, said as she sat on thebleachers in the gym. 'I like the speed of basketball, but I alsoreally like football. As an educator, I think sports are a great wayto involve kids, and build school spirit.'
Tomorrow, the Fenwick faithful will cheer for Sister Joe. She willbe inducted into the school's athletic Hall of Fame as Fenwick'sNumber One Fan. The honor is part of a farewell salute to Pietrowski,a Dominican nun and the school's longtime treasurer, who will leaveFenwick in August. She will return to her order's motherhouse inKentucky to become secretary to the president of the order.
On Sunday, a Mass will be celebrated in the school auditorium at12:30 p.m. A farewell reception will follow at 2 p.m. at Jimmy'sAllenhurst on Route 114 in Danvers.
The fanfare for Sister Joe comes at a momentous time for theNewburyport native, born Cecilia Pietrowski. Last month, shecelebrated her 50th anniversary as a Dominican Sister of St.Catharine of Siena, which she joined after graduation from the oldImmaculate Conception High School in Newburyport.
Her induction into the Fenwick Hall of Fame is the athleticdepartment's way of thanking her for her loyal support for the last22 years, said athletic director Robert Tierney.
'Sister Joe isn't just a fan. She's been a great supporter of ourstudent-athletes,' Tierney said. 'So much goes on behind the scenes.On game day, she sells tickets, and makes sure we have enough change.If parents are having
a fund-raiser, she opens the cafeteria early. She usually givesthe invocation at our banquets. She's played a big role in building astrong athletic tradition here.'
David Woods, the head football coach, said he admired Pietrowski'seven-handed perspective. 'If we lose a game, she makes sure the kidsdon't take it to heart. Even more, when we win, she makes sure thekids don't get big heads,' said Woods, a Fenwick coach for six years.'She's been a great support to me personally. She's one of the fewwomen who will come to me if we have a tough loss and say, `Keep yourspirits up.' '
As for Pietrowski, the call to the hall was unexpected. 'I'mcertainly excited about it, but it came as a complete surprise. Whenthey told me they wanted to honor my dedication to the sportsdepartment, I didn't feel deserving, but they talked me into it.'
A former math teacher and department head, Pietrowski said shebelieves students also should be supported outside the classroom. Inaddition to athletic events, she also manned the ticket booth atplays, concerts, and dances held at the school.
'Academics come first, of course, but I feel strongly studentsshould be involved in things outside the classroom. If they're notathletically inclined, they should try drama or campus ministry. It'simportant to do something other than just study all the time,' shesaid.
Although she made her mark in athletics at Fenwick, Pietrowskiserved the school in other ways, too. For years, she organizedvolunteers for the weekly Beano games. She was the spiritualmoderator of Saint Benedict's Guild, a mother's group at the school.
She came to Fenwick in 1980, after a far-flung teaching career.She taught elementary and high school in East Boston, Chicago, NewYork, Nebraska, and Puerto Rico. Along the way, she earned degreesfrom DePaul University in Chicago and Boston College.
For the last half-century, she's devoted her life to the Dominicanway of life: Preaching the word of God through teaching. 'I'm one ofthose strange people, OK,' she said, chuckling. 'I always wanted tobe a sister, from at least the first grade.'
A daughter of Polish immigrants, she was raised a Catholic. Herearliest role models were the Sisters of Charity who taught her inelementary and high school at Immaculate Conception. Still, in highschool, she was a typical teenage girl.
There weren't sports for girls, so she was a cheerleader. Shewaved pom-poms and wore a snappy blue, satin outfit. She spent hoursflipping through fashion magazines. Always, she was drawn tobeautiful, flowing white dresses. 'I thought they'd be pretty forgraduation,' she said.
When the time came to choose a religious order, a cousin took herto visit convents in Greater Boston. She found her match at a red-brick convent in Cambridge, run by the Dominican sisters.
When she rang the bell, a nun dressed head to toe in a long, whitehabit, answered. She was struck by the vision before her. 'I realizedthat was the white I had been looking for,' Pietrowski said. 'Thatwas it for me. I knew I had found the right place.'
She said she understands that teenage girls today have many morecareer options than when she was growing up. Still, she is puzzledthat more do not consider the sisterhood.
'I don't know who or what is at fault. People seem to focus onwhat you give up. I've always looked at it as what I've gained. Ilived all over and made wonderful friends that are like my family,'Pietrowski said.
Soon, Sister Joe will be off to the next stop. She will leave withmuch love and Fenwick pride in her heart. 'All these 22 years,Fenwick has been my family,' she said, her eyes moist. 'Everyone I'vemet here has been a very precious part of my life.'
The farewell reception at Jimmy's Allenhurst on Route 114 is $10.To reserve tickets, call Carol Blanchard in the Fenwick developmentoffice at 978-531-9295, or send an e-mail to cjb@fenwick.org.
Kathy McCabe's e-mail address is kmccabe@globe.com
