About
the
Author
Karol Jackowski’s
life as a nun began in 1964 when she joined the Sisters of the Holy
Cross in South Bend, Indiana. She graduated from Saint Mary’s College
in South Bend in 1969 with a B.A. in sociology, and then from the
University of Notre Dame in 1974 with a M.A. in theology.
Karol spent half of
her life as a nun at Saint Mary’s College, first as a student and then
as an administrator in various capacities. In 1990, she moved to
New York City to finish her Ph.D. at New York University. During
this time, she also was the chief operating officer of an East Village
novelty store called Alphabets.
In 1995, Karol left
the Sisters of the Holy Cross and became part of the Sisters for
Christian Community, an independent, self-governing sisterhood. Karol
is now a full-time writer and is also the author of Sister Karol’s Book
of Spells and Blessings and Ten Fun Things To Do Before You Die. She
lives in New York City.
Television Appearances:
The O’Reilly Factor – Taped interview aired March 1, 2004
CBS-TV / Early Show – Live Interview with Bryant Gumbel. March 8,
2000.
WPXN-TV / Daybreak – Bill Owens. Taped Interview. Aired March 19, 2000.
The Ainsley Harriott Show – Taped Interview. Aired April 21, 2000.
WABC-TV /Eyewitness News Sunday Morning –Taped Interview. Aired:
April 21, 2000.
WNBC-TV / Weekend Today in New York, David Novarro. Taped
Interview. Aired: April 23, 2000.
MEDIA TELEVISION / City TV / Toronto. Shiela Cameron. Taped
Interview. Aired: May 4, 2000.
WNYW-TV (FOX)/ Everyday People. Wendy Lehman.
Taped Interview. Aired: May 6, 2000.
ABC-TV/ She TV. Magee Hickey. Taped Interview. Aired: May 16,
2000.
Radio Interviews:
ABC RADIO NETWORK/Spotlight. Bill Diehl. Taped Interview. March
8, 2000.
WOR-AM/ Joey Reynolds Show – National Live Interview. Aired:
March 8, 2000.
Live and taped interviews with stations in Wisconsin, Missouri,
Virginia, Upstate New York, California, Michigan,
Minnesota, North Dakota, Colorado, Florida, Pennsylvania, Oregon,
Toronto, Montreal, and London, Ontario.
Featured in:
PEOPLE, “Sister Karol’s Book of Spells and Blessings” Book review
by
Debby Waldman. November 26, 2001
The Star Ledger (Newark). “Sister Karol explains it all to you,”
Peter
Genovese, November 13, 2000.
Inside
Bookselling this Week, “Ten Fun Thing$ to do before You Die
Over the
Holiday$”, November 13, 2000.
ELLE, (Italian Edition), “Scherzi da Suora,” Luca Dini, July, 2000.
The Journal
News, White Plains, NY, “Mermaids,” Georgette Gouveia,
Thursday, June
22, 2000.
NEW YORK POST,
“Knickknack nun serves God with glee,” Andrea
Peyser,
Wednesday, May 10, 2000.
PEOPLE,
“Happy Habits,” April 24, 2000.
The New York
Times, “Ways to Have Fun: A Nun’s Tale,” Alex Witchel
Sunday, March
26, 2000.
Publications:
Martha Stewart's "Whole Living" online Magazine, Weekly Blog,
2010 - 2011
ROSIE magazine, “A Nun’s Story: What I Know about the Priests’
Scandal,” November 2002.
Sister Karol’s Book of Spells and Blessings, New York: Hyperion,
November, 2001.
Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die (revised), New York: Hyperion,
March, 2000. (translated in Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and German)
Divine Madness: Why I still want to be a Nun, Ave
Maria Press, Notre
Dame, Indiana. Publication Dates: 1996 – 1999.
Ten Fun Things to Do before You Die, (original), Ave
Maria Press,
Publication Dates: 1989 – 1999.
Let the Good Times Roll, (cookbook), Ave Maria Press. Publication
Dates: 1980 – 1994.
Home on the Range (cookbook), Ave Maria Press.
Publication Dates:
1982 – 1991.
Some History:
2000 – 2002: TV Talk Show Co-host:
Speakeasy, Woman’s talk show on religion and ethics. Part of
Cablevisions MagRack.
1990 – 2001: Chief Operating
Officer: ALPHABETS. Managed the business of four specialty retail
stores in New York City.
1972 – 1989: Saint Mary’s College, Notre
Dame, Indiana.
Dean of Students (seven years)
Residence Hall Director (seven years)
Campus Ministry (three years)