McNiff persuaded Setterholm to go back to school, and she graduated from Loyola Marymount last spring with a degree in theology. Next month, she'll begin the master of divinity program at New York's Union Theological Seminary, which is affiliated with Columbia University. She was accepted by the school despite an application that included this entry under the "Work Experience" category:
"Prostitution, Independent street/sex worker; 1970-76 and 1992-11/3/2002."
In certain denominations, a graduate degree would mean that Setterholm had gone from prostitute to priest. She said she doesn't care about the title. She just wants to return to L.A. and run a ministry devoted to rescuing lost souls.
She'll never give up the surfing life, though, or working to turn more people onto the sport. Speaking of which, McNiff recalled one more thing Setterholm said to Mahony that day at the cathedral.
"She offered him surfing lessons at some point."
And what did the cardinal say?
"He did not commit himself," said McNiff.
Come to the beach, Your Eminence, and we'll hang 10 together. There's nothing as pure and cleansing as the ocean.
Mary Setterholm is a great teacher, and every wave is like another baptism.
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steve.lopez@latimes.com
