Sad news

I learned this morning of the unexpected death yesterday morning of Sr. Mary Margaret Yascolt, one of the nuns from the monastery in Barrington, Rhode Island where I lived during my sabbatical back in 1993-1994. She was only 60, and her death shocked everyone. Mary was a gifted musician and had been performing at a concert down south. Afterwards, she visited friends in Atlanta and began to complain of a fever. The doctors started treating her for an infection, but she died within 48 hours.

Please keep the nuns in Barrington and in Reno, Nevada -- where Mary had been living recently -- in your prayers at this time of grief.

Mama and Daddy met Mary when we visited the community some years ago. They probably don't remember, but during that visit, one of the nuns complained that the local supermarket had closed and now they had to drive a long way to shop for food. Mary smiled and pointed out that only in Rhode Island would someone say it was a long way to drive two miles.