This snapshot from October 1994 shows (from left) Sister Joyce Burkhart, Mary Lou Metro, Mary Manga, Mary Louise Vrana, Georgette Dublino, Magdalene Lovrich and Eve Blostic enjoying a fall day in the Appalachian Mountains.
Heaven on Earth
Sisters Recall SPECIAL Autumn Days COUNTING GOD’S COLORFUL BLESSINGS
Against a backdrop of trees in full splendor, Sisters share a smile on a crisp fall day.
During the first or second weekend in October — whenever the leaves reached their peak colors — a group of our Sisters would faithfully and enthusiastically venture to Camp Deacon, Sister Mary Louise Vrana’s family cabin in the Appalachian Mountains of northern Pennsylvania.
Helen Mihalik, Sister Mary Louise’s sister, always greeted the group with a meal on the first day, and she would bake zucchini breads and muffins to be enjoyed by all for breakfast throughout the weekend.
“They would just melt in your mouth,” Sister Mary Lou swoons. “Oh, sooooo good!”
The group would pray together, walk in the mountains, play games, visit the famous Christmas shop nearby, and truly enjoy each other. In the evening, they would spot deer. But the highlight of the trip always was enjoying the majestic mountains and the awesome colors of the trees.
“Truly a touch of heaven on earth,” Sister Mary Lou says.
“We looked forward to getting away from our ministries during the peak time of the season to bask in the beauty of the leaves and the mountains,” remembers Sister M. Georgette Dublino. “But above all, we enjoyed this time with each other.”
Sister Georgette recalls getting up very early, making a pot of coffee, sitting by a big bay window and waiting to catch the beautiful sun rising over the mountain. It wasn’t long before everyone else in the house was up, smelling a delicious breakfast of pancakes and bacon prepared by Sisters Mary Louise and Mary Lou.
Sister Mary Louise died in 2007, but the memories remain.
“The weekend was spent prayerfully and joyously, with lots of laughs and great food,” Sister Georgette says. “Needless to say, we returned home refreshed and renewed in body and soul.”
Sister Mary Lou concurs.
“What a grace is it when we can open our eyes and ears to the beauty of God’s creation and praise him for it, as our Holy Father St. Francis did. We are forever grateful to the Mihalk Family for their generosity and kindness in sharing Camp Deacon with us.”
Sister Mary Lou Metro (right) relaxes with the late Sister Mary Louise Vrana at Camp Deacon.