Sister Mary Wilhelmine Tikva, a living legend in Joliet, Illinois will be celebrating her 100th birthday. She is still active, walking up and down the nursing home corridor with her walker. She loves parties, and polka music. They're planning on giving her a really fun 100th birthday party.
When I heard about the nun turning 100, it brought back memories of the nuns I used to see on the sidewalk when I would visit my grandmother in Brooklyn. I was just a little kid, but I remember very clearly how they looked in their habits. My grandmother was a devoted Catholic and would go to church everyday. Naturally, my sister and I were brought up as Catholics, and our father would take us to church on Sundays at St. John's in Woodstock. Mass was in Latin, so it was impossible to follow. As a reward for going to church and sitting through the Latin, my father would give my sister and me each a dime after it was over. We'd stop at the News Shop in Woodstock (it was easy to find a parking space back then.)
Ten cents would buy two things of candy. I can remember buying Heath Bars, Sugar Daddy's, Lifesavers, Hershey Bars, M & M's, and Jujubes. The Sugar Daddy was great because it would last all day, but I can't remember ever finishing one. Somehow I'd always get my hair sticky from the wet caramel candy.
My memories of going to church in the '60s are just as much about the candy as they are about the service.
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