Maggie Walsh has entered the convent. Her brother thinks she's wasting her life. Her sister doubts she has what it takes. Her mother is heartbroken; her father is happy. Her boyfriend pledges to wait until she "gets it out of her system."

Abandoning her dreams to be an actress or a writer, Maggie embraces Church teaching that says the convent is the path to perfection. She sets out to prove – to herself and her family – that she can do it. She'll follow her higher calling, no matter what.

It is 1960. Church reform is a few years away, but when it comes, radical changes unfold swiftly. Maggie embraces that change. Her brother, Jack, who tries at every turn to get Maggie to come to her senses, involves Maggie in civil-rights and anti-war activities – forcing her into conflict with her superiors. Maggie must choose: will she keep peace in the convent or follow her conscience? A charismatic fellow teacher, Will, captures Maggie's time and attention, and her first love, Stan, returns from a Navy tour, determined to win her back. Seeking perfection seemed so simple; now, it is anything but. Maggie must choose – God or a normal life?