Mystery Creates History

"IS ANYTHING TOO MARVELOUS FOR THE LORD TO DO?" – Gen 18:14

Ongoing Challenges (9 of 14)

The funds for the chapel had not yet arrived. We purchased a Pocono barn in the autumn of 1981; this served as a chapel, kitchen and refectory, as well as a meeting place for the monthly Desert Days and family visits.

Constant love, prayer, and work went into preparing to build the first chapel. I put our last $2,000 down on the proposed and already planned Chapel with Ted Kenny, the agent for Timberpeg, Inc. We waited what seemed a long time. Then I took our handsome, brown plaque of St. Joseph and stationed him in a large bush outside of the Pocono Barn with the prayer, “St. Joseph, I am putting you out here until you build the Chapel.” On St. Lucy’s Day, December 13, 1983, one of the Hermits came back from the post office in high spirits “I had to sign for this registered letter!” Gathering the Hermits, I opened the letter. An anonymous donor had sent us a check for $30,000 in honor of St. Lucy! There in my hermitage we immediately chanted the Te Deum to praise and thank God! Our hidden and very generous friend had prayed to St. Lucy for the healing of his eyes and Jesus cured him through her intercession. Today the stained glass window of St. Lucy in our chapel speaks of the power of her prayer and of the generosity of our anonymous friend.

Family and friends renewed their efforts to help us. Mary Mulholland, a greatly loved and highly-esteemed woman who for years had raised funds for the treatment and cure of teenagers addicted to drugs, came to our one and only fund-raising meeting. No sooner had our opening prayer to the Holy Spirit ended, Mary stated emphatically “Peter Strannemar and Hugh DeFazio!” She called each of them and shortly thereafter, Peter arrived. With one look of understanding, the plans for the chapel were set in motion.

Peter is a labor leader, Hugh an attorney and developer. Peter became the volunteer contractor; he came nearly every day to direct and supervise each facet of the construction from groundbreaking to dedication. Due to Peter’s influence, many others donated time, talent, machines, and materials. Peter often repeated, “Be a mouse, not a rat.” I asked him what that meant and he explained “Like a mouse, be grateful for a little bit here and little bit there; don’t be a rat that selfishly tries to take everything.”

Hugh DeFazio took care of the Workers’ Compensation Insurance and was on hand to help in any way possible. Both Peter and Hugh continue to be our friends. Dennis Gilmore, whom we call St. Joseph, our carpenter, arrived on the scene to build the Timberpeg post and beam structure.

The chapel was dedicated October 23, 1984: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever” – Ps 135:1. Our construction continued in 1985 with the building of two additional hermitages, and in 1999 with the building of a hermitage, dedicated to St. Joseph, to provide a place for any priest who desired to celebrate Mass for us and to enjoy time alone with Christ in the desert.

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