Wed - Last Day at the Mount

Mount St. Marys in Watchung, NJ

This is my last day at the Mount. As always, it has been both a privilege and a pleasure to be here.

I first met the Sisters of Mercy a little over three years ago when I got stranded in the Newark Airport during a blizzard. I was about to get into a line - a three hour wait, I had been told, to get my flight re-booked when a young man told me that if I followed him, he know where there was a bank of phone and no one was using them. I could rebook there.

As I was walking away, another woman ( Sister Brenda) joined the line, so I told her to follow us. As it turned out, she was going to a local convent to wait out the storm and asked me if I wanted to come along. My other alternative was sleep on the floor in the airport, so off I went. After waiting two and a half hours in the raging blizzard for a cab, we finally got to share one with a man going to nearby Plainfield. finally we turned up a long drive and there I was at Mount St Marys.

The nuns welcomed me with open arms and warm soup. they invited me to stay the three days until my flight left and extended the most loving and gracious hospitality, which, by the way, is their code. During my stay, Sister Brenda had to dash off for a family thing, I was befriended by Srs. Monica, Marlene and Diane.

Sr. Monica took me to a local shop to get the basics, my luggage being held hostage at the airport. These women are amazing, kind, generous and all have had very interesting career within education and parish life.

These last few days have been like a retreat as I have explored the nearby area and walked the grounds.. which are dotted by little prayer gardens. Tomorrow, I pack up again and hit the road to Connecticut to see my son and his family.