Sister Mary Jo Sobieck's Viral White Sox Pitch Moment

Sister Mary Jo Sobieck went viral in 2018 having thrown out the first pitch at a White Sox game in Chicago. Sobieck is a Sauk Rapids native and Cathedral High School graduate. She joined me on WJON as part of our My Life series.

Early Years

Mary Jo Sobieck is the youngest of 10 children born to parents in Sauk Rapids. Mary Jo's dad was a mechanic at Brown's Automotive on the east side of St. Cloud, her mom was a homemaker. Both of her parents came from big families and both wanted a big family themselves. Mary Jo's father died when he was just 51 years old when she was 11. At that time Mary Jo's mother went to work keeping the books at Brown's Automotive.

Sports Background

Mary Jo was a very active kid who found herself gravitating toward sports. She recalls loving softball, volleyball, tennis, basketball and hockey. Mary Jo's family was very involved in the church and were members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sauk Rapids. She says she went to grade school there before attending Cathedral High School.

High School

Mary Jo graduated from Cathedral High School in 1987. She was active playing volleyball, basketball and softball and recalls excelling at softball the most. Mary Jo was a shortstop on the softball team, was a backcourt player on the volleyball team and stopped playing basketball after 2 years. After high school Mary Jo went to Vermillion Community College in Ely to play volleyball and softball with a plan to get a teaching degree and coach. She recalls having a plan to get an education, find a job and to get married but god had a different plan for her.

College

After a couple years in Vermillion, Mary Jo moved on to the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth where she continued playing volleyball and softball. She was also the manager on the basketball team. Mary Jo graduated from St. Scholastica in 1991 with a degree in Elementary Education and coaching.

Becoming a Sister

Mary Jo intended to teach at a Catholic school and coach at the high school. She taught at Holy Rosary in Duluth where she got to know the sisters in the convent. Mary Jo says she was invited by Sister Anita to make a trip to Springfield, Illinois to visit the convent there. This happened in the spring of 1993. She recalls being at the Motherhouse chapel in Springfield and getting the feeling that this was her calling.

Convent in Springfield, Illinois

In 1993 Mary Jo requested to join the convent in Springfield, Illinois. Her request was granted 5 months later. Mary Jo made first profession in 1996, after a period of study, and her first mission was to teach 3rd grade at Holy Angels in Aurora, Illinois. In 1999 she was moved back to Holy Rosary School in Duluth to teach junior high religion and 5th grade for a year.

Masters Degree

In 2006 Mary Jo went back to college to get her Masters degree at St. John's University in Collegeville. She graduated with her masters in Systematic Theology in 2007. In the fall of 2007 Mary Jo went on to teach at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois. She was at Marian for 13 years.

First Pitch at White Sox Game

In 2018 Mary Jo was chosen to throw out the first pitch at a Chicago White Sox game. It was the 60th anniversary of the school. Mary Jo's sports background was on full display when she fired a fastball to Lucas Giolito. Her first pitch went viral and led to "Sister Mary Jo's first pitch" on social media. She can be found of Instragram, Facebook, and TikTok. Mary Jo is using her social media platform to spread positive messages on a daily basis.

If you'd like to listen to my 4-part conversation with Sister Mary Jo Sobieck, click below.