Kelly Ann Gleeson

Kelly and I met at Sunday mass at St. Stephen of Hungary Church on the Upper East Side not long after I arrived in New York City fresh out of the seminary. It was an Engaged Encounter mass that Sunday. I sat behind her. On the way out of church I said, "Did you know we had to bring a date to this mass?" She giggled revealing her beautiful smile, the smile that could bring in airplanes on a cloudy day. That´s how we started. The family welcomed me lovingly and her dad helped me get the...

My deepest sympathy to all of Kelly's family. You are in my prayers and in the prayers of the other monks at Newark Abbey. Kelly's late father, Bill, was an oblate of Newark Abbey. He is greatly missed, as will be Kelly. I will offer mass tomorrow.