Bishop Thomas John Paprocki | Diocese of Springfield

Sister Mary Gianna Nazar, part of the religious order FSGM, has seamlessly integrated her spiritual and professional life. She works at OSF St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bloomington and at the OSF medical group imaging site, conducting various x-rays and assisting with bone density scans. She also plays a role in educating x-ray students from a local community college.

Sister Mary Gianna's journey to becoming both a nun and a radiology technician is as intriguing as her career itself. She converted to Catholicism during her teenage years, where her interest was sparked in religious life. "My parents met at a center of East-Indian religion. I was named by a Swami," she mentioned. Despite frequent relocations, attending 11 different schools, she eventually embraced Catholicism and joined the Sister of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George after high school, inspired by a program initiated by Cardinal Burke.

Her academic path in radiology took her through Lincoln Land Community College and clinical experiences at St. John’s in Springfield. "It was a lot of fun," she recalled, reflecting on winning the Student of the Year Award and a state x-ray conference recognition for her paper on stroke detection. A security officer affectionately dubbed her "Sister Mary Sees-the-Bones."

Her fascination with science began early, influenced by her father, who imparted stories about chemical reactions and piqued her curiosity through firsthand experiences with microscopes. "When I was in preschool, he would tell me bedtime stories about chemical reactions," she shared. Her interests carried onto her school subjects, enjoying geography, anatomy, and chemistry during high school.

In her professional life, Sister Mary Gianna values the unexpected interactions with patients moving through medical procedures. "I love x-ray because I get to meet a wide variety of people in the midst of their life," she said, appreciating the opportunity to provide comfort through simple gestures. Sometimes her presence during challenging surgeries is noted: "Surgery staff has commented that when I am in surgery the atmosphere is more peaceful."

Sister Mary also recalls fulfilling unique patient requests, such as singing "Silent Night" at a patient's request during a Christmas surgery with the ER doctor's yuletide spirit.

Looking forward, Sister Mary Gianna will soon switch her focus to further academic endeavors. After 22 years in her community and a decade in radiology, she plans to study philosophy at Benedictine College in Kansas. She believes in the respect and dignity of individuals, saying, "The way we gaze upon a person and treat that person gives him a sense of his dignity and worth."

This article marks the conclusion of a series in Catholic Times, which has highlighted religious sisters contributing to STEM fields.