Joan Fitzgerald became a nun without any romantic motivation. Instead, her faith is her inspiration. She entered the convent in 1973. She jokes with her sisters that they were shortchanged in the prestige and sanctity of being a nun. Currently, Joan is a principal at a New York City school. She shares an apartment with three other former sisters. In addition to the apartment, they also share prayer and meditation time.

As a principal, Joan enjoys the feeling of accomplishment and a sense that she can get something done in the world. She contemplates whether this is pride rearing its head but decides to quibble over it, which wastes time and ability. She does feel frustration with the teachers she has to work with, but for the most part, she makes do. She gets along exceptionally well with pastor Steve Costelleo, who resides in the nearby rectory. He sometimes reaches out to Joan to evict someone who has overstayed in the rectory, and she helps when possible.

Steve also backs her up in her frustrations with Gerard Mahoney, a wayward teacher whose incompetence is overwhelming. She first attempted to discuss the issues with him, but her efforts could have been more helpful. Gerard’s defense is that he has been doing the same thing for decades and that it works out all right. She tries to entice him with different educational opportunities. Still, the response is always the same: it works out all right.