Stories - Sister Leo

From: Tommy Dunphy
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006
To: Nancy
Subject: Sister Leo

Hi Nancy,

It's me again. [Tommy Dunphy]

Just a small story about a Saint at St. Agatha's, Sister Marie Leo [O'Brien].

I was one, along with my class, to be so fortunate to have had her to teach me in three different grades, the 2nd, 4th and the 6th. At the end of each day she would read to us the story of Pinnochio. By the time we had reached 6th grade we finally figured her out. Sister Leo held the book but told the story from memory. We loved her stories and we loved Sister Leo. Never had anyone ever heard her raise her voice to anyone in all the eight years that I was there. Everyone said that Sister Leo was a Saint on earth, sent to St. Agatha's to bring a little joy to us kids.

Sister Leo and Sister Raymond arrived at St. Agatha on the same day and those two Irish gals promptly took control. Sister Raymond would say that Sr. Leo was a softy. To us she was a Saint. Sr. Leo was buried in the St. Agatha cemetery some time after the 100th anniversary maybe in 1985. the anniversary of St. Agatha's opening was in 1984.

Nancy, my wife has heard this a thousand times, HA! Did I ever tell you about the little boy sitting on the wall one Christmas eve while all the children were going home for Christmas and everyone had to take someone else who wasn't going home with them. The buses were really full. Anyway, the buses left for the city and guess who was left behind! They just forgot I was there. I just finished serving Mass at the Villa. I couldn't understand why I was left behind. So when I got hungry I went to the Sister's dining hall and told them what had happened. They felt so bad for me that I got to eat with them. Boy, did they ever eat good. A few of the nuns would reach down into their habit pockets and, let me tell you, they had some deep pockets and they would come up with a dollar or two for me. WOW!!!

This was in 1947, the blizzard of "1947". Snow was everywhere. The kids in New York City were snowed in. They loved it, a couple of extra days in the Big City. What they didn't know was what was waiting for them when they came back to St. Agatha's; a big spoon full of Castor Oil to clean out all the candy and goodies the had eaten while away. Guess who didn't have to take any of that? Me! 'Cause I didn't go anywhere. HA! It was funny watching about 50 kids running for the toilets. Every one was shouting hurry up, hurry up. That went on for about two days then things were back to normal.

Anyway, Nancy, I just thought you'd like a little laughter today at our expense.

Always your friend,
Tommy Dunphy