Sister Rita Steinhagen

An ex-con, federal prisoner No. 88119-02.

On Tuesday afternoon, this gentle soul died at a St. Paul hospice. In 1998, this gentle but powerful soul was sentenced to serve six months in the federal pen in Pekin, Ill. She had trespassed at Fort Benning, Ga., during a protest of U.S. policies in Latin America.

The sister didn't take this business lightly, telling the sentencing judge: "Your honor, I'm 70 years old today and I've never been in prison and I'm scared. I tell you, when decent people get put in jail for six months for peaceful demonstration, I'm more scared of what's going on in our country than I am of going to prison."

The judge's response?

"He didn't say anything," she recalled. "He couldn't care less."

The nun served her time -- and her fellow prisoners.

"Don't forget us," pleaded women who were serving long drug-related sentences when Rita was released.

And, of course, she didn't.

Even in her last days, as old friends came for final visits, the 77-year-old nun, whose health had been failing for months, offered encouragement.

For example, last week, Marv Davidov, a longtime peace activist and Rita's fishing buddy, stopped to visit.

"What am I going to do next summer?" Davidov asked, tears in his eyes.

"Fish," the nun said.

They both laughed.

Born in Waconia, raised in Walker, Steinhagen never set out to be a nun. But, at age 23, she went to visit a pal who had joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Paul. While Rita waited for her pal, she got into a conversation with the nun who directed the novices.

"Do you think I belong here?" Rita asked the nun.

"I certainly do," was the response.

A few months later she showed up at the convent, ready to begin her new life.

In "Hooked by the Spirit," the autobiography she completed last year, she wrote, "I believe that everyone is begotten of the Spirit but we are blown in many directions. In trying to capture the reason for my many wanderings, I can only surmise that the Spirit assigned to me had an extra wandering gene, which at times caused Her to push, lead or entice me to places I never dreamed of going. She has been a faithful traveling companion, and I am so grateful She was assigned to me."

In a classic bit of twinkle-in-the-eye Rita-ese, she added: "Please don't try to figure this out theologically. Relax. Go with it. Enjoy."

Services for Sister Rita will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the Presentation of Our Lady Chapel, 1880 Randolph Av., St. Paul.

©2006 Star Tribune

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