The new senator-elect from Massachusetts is not Catholic, but he has a long-standing relationship with an order of nuns:
The family worships at New England Chapel in Franklin, a member of the Christian Reformed Church of America, a Protestant denomination, but has developed a special relationship with an order of Cistercian Catholic nuns at Mt. St. Mary’s Abbey in Wrentham.Many of the 48 nuns are from other countries, and Brown’s first contact was in response to their request for help on an immigration matter.
“It has turned into a beautiful friendship,” said Sister Katie McNamara, the monastery’s nurse.
Brown raised money to buy a special golf cart to transport elderly sisters, and, with his wife, has assisted efforts to raise $5.5 million needed to replace the order’s 50-year-old candy factory with an environmentally friendly plant, complete with solar panels and a wind turbine. The order is self-sustaining through sale of its candies and fudges.
“We pray for them every day,” Sister Katie said of Brown and his family.
“When you have nuns praying for you three times a day and you’re not Catholic, anything that anybody can do or say about me, it’s Teflon,” Brown said. “It bounces right off.”
posted January 20, 2010 at 10:56 am
I am very happy to hear this but it is one of those stories in which one can only say: God works in mysterious ways.
Here we have someone who is not Catholic and not pro-life assisting a “traditional” religous order. Who knows. Maybe there will be a conversion down the road.
posted January 21, 2010 at 10:37 am
Many Catholics who do not reside in Massachusetts have taken great joy in Brown’s election. I am curious as to how they reconcile his pro-choice stance on abortion, a stance that is, unless I read it incorrectly, remarkably similar to what President Obama says. It is the 10th point down on his web page about issues.
There has been some confusion over his being a Republican and being against health care reform and his position on abortion, at least in conversations that I have had.
http://www.brownforussenate.com/issues
posted January 21, 2010 at 11:06 am
I believe many Catholics in Massachusetts voted for Scott Brown as the lesser of two evils. His position on abortion allows for parental notification, for example, opposes expanding federal funding to abortion and supports a conscience clause for health care workers. Martha Coakley — even though she calls herself a Catholic — has a far more extreme view of abortion. She said something to the effect that devout Catholics should not work in emergency rooms if abortion bothers them. She put out a very false and defamatory campaign ad stating Scott Brown wanted hospitals to turn away rape victims. This hurt her among working class Catholics.
(Abortion issue aside, anyone who thinks of Curt Schilling as a Yankees fan should never be elected to any public office in the Bay State!)
posted January 21, 2010 at 11:08 am
Let me add — I responded to Fran’s comment. Sorry to draw the conversation away from the topic, which is the nuns.
posted January 21, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Chris – I am glad for your second comment, I regretted diverting the topic but I have not really seen it explored and it was on my mind because of several conversations that I have had. It was those very conversations that led me to Brown’s website and verified what I had thought I had heard.
I am sorry for the derailment off topic! I actually thought I had commented about the nuns as I loved reading that the day it went up, but I guess I did not.
Chris – so right about Schilling too!
posted June 7, 2010 at 5:42 pm
I am an editor for Christian.com which is a social network dedicated to the christian community. As I look through your web site I feel a collaboration is at hand. I would be inclined to acknowledge your website offering it to our users as I’m sure our Christian reformed audience would benefit from what your site has to offer. I look forward to your thoughts or questions regarding the matter.
Vicky Silvers
vicky.silvers@gmail.com