History from a nun’s point of view
Stella Niagara centennial play a hit

by Susan Mikula Campbell
Photo by Dave Young
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, August 16, 2008

Brother Stone (Tim Henderson) and Sister Laurina Pelzer (Sue Campbell).

I didn’t start out to be a nun, especially not one who wore the pre-Vatican II habit and veil.

For the next two weekends, however, I’ll be Sister Laurina Pelzer, as the Lewiston Council on the Arts’ Marble Orchard players help Stella Niagara in Lewiston celebrate its centennial anniversary with “Marble Orchard: Star of Niagara.”

At 7 p.m. Saturdays, Aug. 16 and 23, and 2 p.m. Sundays, Aug. 17 and 24, the quiet and peace of Stella Niagara’s tree-lined cemetery in the back of the main campus will be broken. Some of the nuns, priests and lay people buried there will “come back to life” to tell of the Sisters of St. Francis who labored to create today’s school, motherhouse, retreat center, retirement home and peace center.

Our first performance was Monday evening for some 200 Sisters of St. Francis attending a convocation at Stella Niagara. The sisters came from all over North America, as well as from Europe and South America. Talk about being under pressure!

As soon as our audience was seated under the big tent at the front of the cemetery, as has become usual this summer, the rain started. Willing hands from the Stella Niagara community helped put up the canopy over our small stage, and the show went on, although cast members waiting for their cues under the nearby trees had their faith tested by the occasional loud rumble of thunder.

It was all worth it when we found that the sisters were a wonderful, responsive audience.

They laughed delightedly at the Beatles song references woven into Brother Stone’s narrative by Tim Henderson. Many of the sisters knew some of the more recently deceased characters. The silence was profound and some wiped their eyes as Sister Mary McCarrick, playing herself, talked about giving everything to God with an Alzheimer’s victim, the late Sister Rose Bennett, heart-wrenchingly portrayed by Bonnie Clark. They applauded often and loudly for Frank Filicetti’s character, Freddie Murry, the orphan boy, who spent 70 years at Stella Niagara, and as the sisters’ chauffeur, never had an accident or a traffic ticket in three million miles because he had “St. Christopher on the dashboard and Franciscan sisters in the back seat.”

And at the end, when the cast gathered to take their bows and sing the Blessing of St. Francis, our audience sang it right back at us.

I wasn’t sure I’d make a good nun, when I first heard that the Sisters of St. Francis had asked the Lewiston Council on the Arts to collaborate with them on this historical play, but aside from the thunder and lightning, I’ve enjoyed every minute.

My only childhood memory of the good sisters is a relative of my father, a nun from somewhere in New England, coming to visit my grandmother. Unfortunately, all I recall from that visit is mom being on pins and needles that dad, despite being repeatedly warned in advance, would slip up and use some salty language in front of her.

Of course in recent years, I’ve met many of the wonderful Sisters of St. Francis at Stella Niagara. The ones I’ve known have done things like travel the world as an expert archivist, copy the labyrinth of a great cathedral into a prayer walk in the grass at Stella, run a soup kitchen and celebrate retirement by performing in a Theatre in the Mist play, complete with a cane nicknamed “Oscar.” And, they wear modern-day dress.

Sister Laurina Pelzer, a sweet, German-born nun, came to this country as a missionary in 1907 and died at Stella Niagara in 1938. Interestingly, before she became a nun, her name was Susanna and I’m Susan Ann.

Plus, I’ve learned through “Star of Niagara” that even the nuns of 100 years ago were strong, purposeful women. They did it all, despite the fact they wore heavy, wool habits, both winter and summer, and inconvenient headpieces.

Our wardrobe mistress extraordinaire, Sister Karen Allen, recreated for Sister Laurina the coverall apron that was worn over the habit while cooking, cleaning and gardening, and the white veil worn while working in the hot sun. Under the veil is a heavily starched bib-like affair that covers the chest and goes up over the ears. Another starched piece goes across the forehead and another attaches to the veil, giving that winged look. It’s difficult to talk, eat, see to either side or raise your eyebrows. Everything is heard through the rustle of starchy material.

In view of that, it’s time to forgive any nun you thought was grumpy or too free with that stereotype ruler. Come visit us at Stella Niagara’s cemetery and hear the story of how Stella Niagara grew from the small band of determined nuns, who with faith and determination, overcame extreme poverty (and their clothing) to provide the foundation for today’s true “Star of Niagara.”

Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Tickets will be sold at the door. Stella Niagara is located at 4421 Lower River Road, Lewiston.