In Jesus and Other Lovers, a Memoir of a Catholic Nun, Judy captures the inner workings of a convent, pointing her lens straight at its rules, rituals, and relationships. We first meet Judy as a high school freshman who is enamored with the beautiful Sister Maureen. Their relationship deepens and becomes daringly physical. Judy enters the convent to be near her beloved. However, the Mistress of Novices has other plans and works diligently to eradicate this passion. Sadly, Sister Maureen and Judy are never assigned to the same convent. Although Judy applies herself to become a good nun in her twelve years of teaching, she finally realizes this lonely life is not for her. With the help of a kind Mother Superior and a colorful outside therapist, she successfully leaves the convent in 1967, the Summer of Love. She then pursues her real passion by enrolling in the California School of the Arts in Berkeley to become an artist. Her memoir shines a light on convent life—institutions that are now dying in the U.S. Those who have attended Catholic schools will especially love this account told with refreshing honesty, humor and insight.

Judy Theo Lehner entered a San Francisco-based order of Catholic nuns in the ‘50’s. After formative training, she was assigned to teach first grade in several cities, including East Los Angeles. She was then transferred to teach biology in Seattle and San Francisco. However, her true passion for art was unable to be satisfied in the confines of the convent. After leaving the convent in 1967, she received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as a fine artist in Berkeley. While teaching in the Berkeley Public School system, she met her psychologist husband and they have one daughter, who is now a writer. Some years ago Judy opened Red Wolf Gallery on Sonoma Plaza but also took writing classes and was encouraged by her teachers, Isabel Allende, Anne Lamott and Frances Mayes to write this autobiography. At last she has turned her attention to this revealing book.