Behind Convent Walls
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Community Ask Dr. Gott Forum sports digest ..............Page 3 Our readers write .............Page 6 ...................................Page 4 INSIDE Mendocino County’s World briefly The Ukiah local newspaper ..........Page 2 Tomorrow: Delightful with plenty of sun 7 58551 69301 0 TUESDAY Oct. 10, 2006 50 cents tax included DAILY JOURNAL ukiahdailyjournal.com 16 pages, Volume 148 Number 184 email: [email protected] Veto of SB 1427 Behind convent walls not the end of the Sister Jane Kelly publishes her autobiography, battle for health book signing to be held next week in Ukiah care officials By LAURA MCCUTCHEON The Daily Journal By KATIE MINTZ can pay and regardless of their Sister Jane Kelly, nun- The Daily Journal circumstances, even when turned-author, recently self- Legislature that would those circumstances mean that published her second book -- have allowed federally quali- care is needed away from the an autobiography -- and her fied health clinics (FQHCs) to clinic itself. third is soon to follow. receive reimbursement for “We could see homeless In an “X Rated Nun, Medi-Cal services provided people living under the Woman of Integrity” the 76- outside their four walls was bridge, or people in the skilled year-old Kelly traces her own vetoed by Gov. Arnold nursing center or allow people life and gives a rare view of Schwarzenegger Sept. 28, but to go to private offices for what goes on behind convent the health community has not mental health care,” Hunter walls. The story begins with given up. said. her childhood and ends with “(SB 1427) was a pretty In fact, the impetus for SB why she left the congregation important bill,” Cathy Frey, 1427 came three years ago after 58 years. executive director of the when MCHC got in a dispute Kelly, a nun since the age Alliance for Rural with the Department of Health of 17, left the order of the Community Health and Services about Medi-Cal Presentation of the Blessed California Primary Care reimbursement for mental Virgin Mary in San Francisco Association board member health services provided out- in July of last year so that she said. “Schwarzenegger opens side of the clinic. According could continue living in the door for it to be re-intro- to Hunter, MCHC then Ukiah. duced and I think it will hap- stopped the practice, which in “My major superior said I pen.” turn decreased mental health was to move to the Mother Bill author Sen. Wesley services by close to 90 percent House in San Francisco with- Chesbro (D-Arcata), a long- because people did not feel in two weeks or I was to time champion of health care comfortable coming into the apply for dispensation of my Isaac Eckel/The Daily Journal issues, however, has reached clinic for counseling. vows, and I couldn’t leave Ukiah resident, Sister Jane Kelly, a co-founder of plowshares has recently pub- the end of his term limit, so “(Chesbro) worked to legit- Plowshares,” said Kelly, an lished her second book “X Rated Nun: Woman of Integrity” and will be auto- the California Primary Care imize the practice,” Hunter original founder of the com- graphing copies at a book signing Oct. 18. Association is working to said. munity dining hall. “I have but as I say in the epilogue of made. From there, one book support myself,” she said, identify another legislator Following committed my life to serving my book, peace and justice just led to another. noting she sells them for $15 willing to bring the bill back Schwarzenegger’s veto of the the poor and the homeless, so have met and set me free.” “When I wrote my first each, which includes tax. “I when the 2007-2008 session bill, Chesbro expressed his I gave up my membership in Kelly clearly has a lot to book something kept bother- just ordered 500 more books begins in December. anger. the Sisters of the Presentation say. ing me and I couldn’t put my because we will probably With a few minor changes “I am deeply disappointed to remain in Ukiah,” she said, “X Rated Nun, Woman of finger on it ... I wrote about have 300 people at the book to its language, which that the Governor has vetoed adding, “I don’t regret my Integrity” was just published birth control, homosexuality, signing if it’s anything like Schwarzenegger said in his this bill. He is clearly out of decision; I feel free, answer- in September and she expects married priests, women my first book, ‘Taught to veto message would have touch with the health care able to no one but the Holy her third book, “Religion priests, etc., and I realized Believe the Unbelievable, unintentionally created a needs that clinics provide to Spirit.” Versus Reality” to be out by that the churches laws are New Vision of Hope for the loophole that could “compro- rural communities," Chesbro This “fearless saint” -- as December. unreal,” said the former nun Church.’ Within a week I had mise program integrity and said. “The Governor’s own tagged by a television pro- What’s that one about? with a master’s degree in the- sold so many books they expose the State to more than Department of Health ducer last year when filming ‘It’s where we look at real- ology. “I wanted to free peo- asked me to sign a contract,” a billion dollars in costs,” Services approved the lan- a documentary about Kelly’s ity and what is,” she said. ple up the way I have been she said of iUniverse, her Frey hopes that the bill will guage of the bill, after three life -- when not tending to the “We look at the regulations freed,” she added. publisher. enable clinics to offer the care years of negotiations, so it homeless, spends up to eight and the laws that religion With three books behind “X Rated Nun, Woman of their clients need. appears to represent a bad hours a day typing on her makes, which ignores the her, what’s next? Integrity,” will be available at “It’s an important piece of faith negotiation. computer. reality. For example, birth “Now I am taking a break next week’s book signing. language because the clinics Unfortunately, it is real people “I get up early in the control ... and the church for- because my back isn’t doing People can also purchase the that are FQHC have a man- in rural communities who suf- morning and go to the com- bidding any artificial means too well with all this comput- date to go outside of their four fer.” book at Plowshares, or by Frey said that while the bill puter and write until it’s time of birth control. In this day er work,” she said. In her calling Kelly at 463-8445. It walls to provide services,” to go to Plowshares at 11 and age people can’t afford to next breath, however, she Frey said. was in the Senate and can also be purchased Assembly and appropriations a.m. and then I come home raise a number of children. said, “I am working on some through iUniverse, but Kelly Lin Hunter, executive Another example is homosex- children’s books.” director for Mendocino and budget committees, there and get back to the computer said she’d rather sell the book was no talk of the supposed and write sometimes until 11 uality,” she said. Kelly has already sold over herself, because when the Community Health Clinic, “Homosexuality is a biologi- 150 copies of her latest publi- Inc., which operates three billion dollar price tag. p.m.,” she said. publisher sells it she only “There would be a slight But long hours spent on cal reality and the church cation. Her goal now is to sell FQHCs including the Hillside condemns all homosexual more. As a self-published receives a small amount of Health Center in Ukiah, said increase to cost associated the computer, while hard on royalties. because of the potential to her back, are not as challeng- acts as evil.” author, she purchases the clinics face the challenge ing for her as reliving some What inspired a nun of 58 books and then sells them A wine and cheese recep- everyday to provide care to of the memories she writes years to make a 180-degree herself, so the proceeds not tion and book signing for people whether or not they See SB 1427, Page 16 about in “X Rated Nun, turn; to continue writing only go to her daily living Kelly will be held from 6 to 8 Woman of Integrity.” books which reveal hidden expenses, they also pay for p.m. on Oct. 18, at St. Mary’s “In writing an autobiogra- truths? more books. Parish Hall, 900 South Oak phy you go back and remem- Church scandal was the “I buy 250 books at the Street. Kelly will speak at 7 Fort Bragg Library ber so many stories that seem motive behind her first book, cost of $1,900 and that gives p.m. to have happened like, yester- said Kelly, who noted going me a 50-percent discount. Laura McCutcheon can be day. Some of the stories are public was the “scariest, most The reason I am selling the reached at moves across the street painful decision” she ever book is to help financially [email protected]. humorous, some are painful, By Advocate Staff response to a grand jury The staff of the Fort report last year which said Bragg Public Library had children need to be visible some help moving thou- to staff.