In Our Midst By Michael S. Gisondi       In my mid-twenties, with a youthful surety, life seemed to be moving along quite nicely.  But one day, when invited into a convent for tea, I sat around a kitchen table with a bunch of nuns, and my life hasn’t been the same since.       Having moved to Florida to take a job at the Kennedy Space Center, life was full of fun.  It was a childhood dream, helping launch mankind into space.  Life was full of beaches, parties, and dating … what more could a young guy ask for?       Often after work, I found myself shooting baskets with a young boy in my condominium complex.  It was only a matter of time before I agreed to help coach his team at the local Catholic School – Our Saviour’s.  Amid drills of rebounding, passing, and playing defense, I again had to ask myself … what more could a young guy ask for?       The answer came one Saturday afternoon, when toward the end of practice, a petite nun – Sister Martina – with fiery eyes, an attracting presence, and a thick Irish brogue introduced herself to me.  Full of questions and joy, she was soon joined by the pastor – Father Walsh – with an equally heavy accent and an even stronger handshake.  His comment – “there is more for you to do around here”.  Her question – “Would you like to come to the convent for tea?”       Entering the convent, a new world unfolded.  One by one, the nuns converged for introductions, as if the most important visitor in a long while had arrived.   Talking in a fast-paced almost-Gaelic language and showing their native hospitality, I was provided more than needed to eat and drink.  With a whirlwind of questions, they knew my life story.  Mixed within, was parish news from births to math tests, from new houses to hospital visits.  In one afternoon, my outdated image - of a dogmatic church and nuns slapping kids with rulers – was destroyed.  What remained was a shining example of a bunch of faith-filled women … so full of life, with such a strong sense of community.       These Sisters of Mercy had come from Ireland in the early sixties, when Florida was considered “missionary territory”.  Having grown with Cocoa Beach as part of the “Space Race”, they had been part of a parish started from a bowling alley to eventually include a new church and school.  They themselves had grown from a fully garbed bunch of young lasses to build a strong and vibrant parish community of over 1000 families.  They were part of a club of religious connected among Central Florida with ties to the old country.  As I would eventually learn, among the steady stream of priests and church-goers, these nuns were the real glue that held the parish together.       Over the following months, I began to go back to church regularly, drawn into parish life by something different – an inclusiveness that brought out the goodness in people.  The warmth and spirit of Our Saviour’s was truly unique as I began to feel – Christ in our midst.  I could not help but volunteer for the parish fair or to visit an elderly person.       But it was the trips to the convent and sitting around the kitchen table where Christ vividly appeared.  It was there I was drawn in by Sister Anna’s personal touch, making it a point to know all of my “interesting facts” and volunteering to take any relative to Epcot if they should visit.  With each visit, I came to understand Sister Esther’s daily dedication to her responsibilities as principal, responding to God, the parents, and the children.  There was an afternoon when precious bits of wisdom about Jesus under trial were shared by a retired nun named Sister Mercy.  It was there I was drawn to Sister Theresa’s passion for causes and helping the less fortunate.  And it was there, I met a blue-eyed gentle, compassionate Sister Maura who listened to all my stories and questions about faith and life with only support and encouragement.       There were many memorable cups of tea with the nuns.  It was not uncommon to meet a missionary from South America, a former neighbor from Ireland, a monk, or an author passing through town.         Even more memorable was seeing these Sisters of Mercy in action building community, as Christ in our midst.  Each birthday party, each visit by a former student, the Sisters were “there” for people.  Invited in were a vast array of souls – from those celebrating First Communion to those suffering with bouts of alcoholism, from those who had attempted suicide to enthusiastic snow-birds from up north, from those going through divorce to those recently engaged, from those who hungered for food to those who hungered for faith.  These nuns were among us for our joys and our sorrows.       But as with all good things, time passes and change occurs.  With the dwindling number of religious, the Sisters moved on.  Somewhere in Ireland, Mississippi, and Africa, other fortunate souls are experiencing their example of Christ present among us.  Now, with a family of my own, I would no longer have as much time to stop for a cup of tea.      The lasting effect of the Sisters of Mercy on Our Saviour’s is undeniable. The children of long- time parishioners are now in the pews today.  Former students are now the principal, faculty, and parents of today’s school children.  It is easy to see the warmth of Christ and a sense of a faith- filled community passed on from the Irish nuns.         The challenge remains to see Christ continually present in our midst.  Now, I realize that it is at my own kitchen table, with my own children’s stories of playground excitement and spelling tests.   Now I must look to those around me to share their joys and assist in their needs as well … and be as the nuns … Christ in our midst.
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