St. Mary's Convent, Greenwich, New York,
is now a reality!
The Sisters are in residence in their new home. The daily Eucharist and the Offices are being offered in the new St. Mary’s Chapel. Several Associates and friends have already come to visit. We are happy to have visitors for tea, for a meal, or (on a limited basis) overnight. Guests of the Spiritual Life Center have also stayed with us or shared in our worship, and we have been invited to take part in several Center activities, including many parish picnics.
The Sisters and Associate Peg Willis moved into the almost-finished convent from St. Paul’s rectory, the Baptist parsonage, and the Manor House in June and July. Our Associate Father Wayne Bowers celebrated the first Eucharist in St. Mary’s Chapel on July 31. We were welcomed shortly after moving in by a great horned owl, perched on a construction lift, and, a few days later, by a magnificent, double rainbow. In every way this place seems to us an immutable sign of God’s providence for us.
Now with fall colors already fading the convent is gradually becoming “home.” The construction crews have largely finished and gone to work on other parts of the Center. Most of the packing boxes have disappeared. Most of the misplaced articles have been found. The road has been paved. Sister Mary Elizabeth and a group of volunteers have begun planting the area immediately around the building, and newly seeded grass and clover are beginning to cover the slope of the hill. The goats and the chickens are happy, although they have not yet been moved to their permanent quarters near the convent, and the bees have produced hundreds of pounds of honey.
The new convent is a two-story building, with its main entrance on the lower floor, facing east toward the Spiritual Life Center. There are also upper-level entrances and a garage. The chapel and lobby, in the center of the first floor, are open to guests. The library, near the lobby, is primarily for the Sisters’ use but is also available to others who need the collections housed there. The books are (or will be) included in the catalog of the Center library.
The north wing on both floors houses the Sisters’ private quarters. The south wing has offices, a kitchen, and refectory on the first floor, and several rooms on the second for guests and live-in Associates.
It is a very short drive by paved road, or a ten-minute walk by foot path across the (almost) covered bridge, to the Manor House, now known as the Library, and to the Chapel of Christ the King. Some of us have begun to explore the woods and pastures and have been delighted to see river otters, woodchucks, ruffled grouse, wild turkeys, an osprey and three red-tailed hawks. And yes, we finally completed the sale of the Peekskill property in July this year.
The pictures give some idea of the Community’s new
home, and also of some of the adventures of the move. Many
people have helped to make this possible, and we are profoundly
grateful for all that they have done: the staff of the Center,
the many construction workers, all our friends and volunteer
helpers. We also thank our Associates and friends for their
prayers and support in this move, and we look forward to having
you “come and see.”
