Winter 2007
News from the North
An un-seasonably warm and snow-less winter has allowed the hammering to continue much longer than we expected at Montfort Retreat. On December 6, Brother Thomas Augustine, Brother Peter Mary and Brother Anthony Marie spent the day securing 72 roof joists that were crane lifted to the dining hall and extending pavilion. Since then the roof has been completed. Now we are waiting for the windows to be installed, after which we will be able to finish the log siding. Once everything is closed in, Mike Sulmonte, our electrician, who attends Mass at the Center and sends his children to IHM, will begin installing the electrical wiring. That is if he can make it down the seasonal town road that leads to the camp, which is already thawing to a muddy mess. In the spring we plan to pour the floor before we start on the plumbing. Things are looking good and on schedule…please continue to pray for the success of this project. We are counting on you!
William "Bill" Crowley
Little did we realize that the day the Sisters got lost looking for an advertised waterfront real estate that it was all in God’s providence! That event led to the meeting of Bill Crowley, who became the” guardian angel” of our project, Montfort Retreat. When Bill, who was outside doing garden work, saw the Sisters pull up to his driveway he came over to help and from that moment on he and his wife Marion have became close friends to the Center.
Whenever it was necessary to travel to the property, the Sisters always stopped by Bill’s house to share plans and progress of the work and permits being done at the Retreat. Bill was a great source of encouragement to us as he poured over the site plans, permits and drawings, He was invaluable for getting information to us on all the ramifications of the project and laws involved. Sometimes he would just call and remind us to get things going with the State permits. Often he would drop a piece of valuable information in the mail to us.
We were looking forward to having Bill over to sit on the porch of the lodge or take a canoe ride with us when the Retreat was finished, but God had other plans. On December 14, Bill was called home after a long battle with cancer. The big man with a hint of an Irish brogue would no longer meet us on our trips to NH! It was a great loss for us all, but we know that Bill will still be overseeing the progress of the camp, now from another view. Please pray for the repose of his soul. May he rest in peace.
