Local author and artist Judy Lehner will read from her memoir, "Jesus and Other Lovers: An Intimate Memoir of a Catholic Nun", on Wednesday, January 25th at 6:00 p.m. Judy's story lays bare the inner workings of a convent and her complex relationships with the Church and with God. Judy worked for twelve years as a teacher in Catholic schools, both as an elementary school teacher and as a high school biology teacher, while simultaneously applying herself to become a good nun. With the help of an understanding Mother Superior and the assistance of a therapist from outside the Church, Judy left the convent in 1967 to pursue her true passion: becoming an artist. Her unique life path and refreshingly honest prose makes for a compelling read. 

Judy Theo Lehner entered a San Francisco-based order of Catholic nuns in the 1950s. After formative training, she was assigned to teach first grade in several cities, including East Los Angeles, then was sent to teach biology in Seattle and San Francisco. However, her true passion for art was unable to be satisfied in the confines of the convent. After leaving the convent in 1967, she received both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees as a fine artist in Berkeley. While teaching in the Berkeley Public School system, she met her husband; they have one daughter. Some years ago, Judy opened Red Wolf Gallery on Sonoma Plaza. Judy's interest in writing brought her to tell the remarkable story of her life in this memoir.