In Mississippi’s land, where dreams took flight,
Lived Sister Thea, a guiding light so bright.
Born in ‘37, her heart pure and keen,
With a spirit bold, in faith, she’d intervene.

A girl of ten, I heard her tales, so grand,
Of a life devoted to God’s loving hand.
From Yazoo City, where her roots did lay,
She journeyed forth, in God’s name, to sway.

Her kin were scholars, healers in their own right,
Her lineage, a tapestry of courage, shining light.
From slave to doctor, from teacher to kin,
Their legacy fueled Sister Thea to begin.

She sang, she taught, in hymns, her grace did bloom,
In Catholic halls, dispelling any gloom.
With music’s power and faith’s fervent call,
She reached souls wick, embracing one and all.

A champion she rose for Black sisters in faith,
Uniting voices, erasing any wraith.
The National Black Sisters’ Conference did rise,
A testament to her work, reaching skies.

Cancer’s cruel hand seized her tender frame,
Yet her spirit soared, undoused by the flame.
In ‘90 her earthly Journey met its end,
But her legacy and love eternally transcend.

Declared a Servant of God, a saint in queue,
Her story lives on, her deeds anew.
Sister Thea’s life, a radiant story spun,
In faith, she danced, her melody, still sung.

– Alex Sherrod West, II
St. Francis of Assisi parish, Greenwood