10.01.2010

Sisters Request Your Help

The Maronite Servants of Christ the Light Sisters now have a place to call home “Mary, Mother of the Light Monastery”, in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. “This home will help our current and future Sisters to live a life of prayer, ministry, and study. Our doors are open to welcome you, the faithful, for retreats, conferences, days of prayer and other apostolic works and activities,” said Sister Marla Marie, superior.

Founded in 2008 in collaboration with Bishop Gregory J. Mansour, this new Congregation of nuns serve the faithful in our Maronite parishes. Sr. Marla Marie accepted the first two candidates this past February, Therese Touma and Tresa Van Heusen. These young women are in the formation program preparing to consecrate their lives in service to the Church.

The recently purchased home is situated on five acres and had served as the former novitiate of the Dominican Sisters of Hope who owned this home since 1960 after acquiring it from the original owners, the Prescott Family, who had it built in 1895. Over the years, as the Dominican Sisters declined in numbers and advanced in age, this property became too much for them to maintain.

“We are grateful to be able to purchase this property, thanks to the help of seed money from the Eparchy of St. Maron and a mortgage,” Sr. Marla Marie explained. “We are happy to think that soon we will be able to move into this permanent home, but before we can move in, much required renovation work must be done.”

This is a lovely house, but it is in need of great repair. The Sisters immediate needs are to repair the roof and gutters; update the plumbing; install furnace safety valves; install a security fire/alarm system; paint the interior; bring the electrical service up to code; upgrade the bathrooms, among other renovations.

“I ask for your help to provide the needed funds to get this new Monastery up and running so that we can move in before Christmas,” requests Sr. Marla Marie, adding, “would you please donate to our renovation fund and enlist others to help us too? Our postulants, Tresa and Therese, and I have a huge task at hand, but with your help our burden will be considerably lightened.”

For more information on how to help the Sisters refer to the “News and Events” section of their website or call Sister Marla Marie at 781-331-3290. Tax deductible donations can be given via the website through PayPal or they can be mailed to Sr. Marla Marie, 109 Remsen Street, Brooklyn NY 11201. Thank you for your support.