"She left with the clothes on her back, a long blue
dress and a pair of shoes she'd never wear again. It was June 8, 1991, a
Saturday morning, and Shelly Pennefather was starting a new life. She
posed for a group photo in front of her parents' tidy brick home in
northern Virginia, and her family scrunched in around her and smiled.
"All
six of her brothers and sisters were there -- Little Therese, in
braided pigtails; older brother Dick, tall and athletic with
Kennedyesque looks. When Shelly came to her decision, she insisted on
telling each of them separately. . . .
"Twenty-five years old and not far removed from her All-America days at Villanova,
Pennefather was in her prime. She had legions of friends and a contract
offer for $200,000 to play basketball in Japan that would have made her
one of the richest players in women's basketball. . . .
"That Saturday morning in 1991, Pennefather drove her Mazda 323 to the
Monastery of the Poor Clares in Alexandria, Virginia. She loved to
drive. Fifteen cloistered nuns waited for her in two lines, their smiles
radiant.
"She turned to her family.
"'I love you all,'" she said.
"The door closed, and Shelly Pennefather was gone."
A recent ESPN report profiled Shelly Pennefather's transition from Villanova basketball star to Sister Rose Marie of the Queen of Angels.
To access the complete report, please visit:
ESPN: Whatever happened to Villanova basketball star Shelly Pennefather? 'So I made this deal with God.' (3 AUG 19)
Related commentary:
The Boston Pilot: Echoes. A different team and a lasting championship. (14 AUG 19)
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