Noted author visits All Saints Regional Catholic School to share message of gratitude
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
By Christina Leslie|Correspondent
The students and faculty of All Saints Regional Catholic School, Manahawkin, put their faith into action Oct. 4 during a visit by renowned author Mary Lou Quinlan. Quinlan, whose novel “The God Box” details her mother’s written missives to the Creator, performed her one-woman play as a fundraiser for the Ocean County school and prompted students to create their own notes of prayer and supplication.
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“Sister Jeannette [Daily, principal of ASRCS], and her committee set this up in August,” said Elizabeth A. Barrella, interim principal of the Manahawkin school, revealing that Sister Jeannette emailed Quinlan after reading her book. She and the New York City-based author struck up a correspondence, and the plan for Quinlan to visit ASRCS for a fund raising event was launched.
Quinlan, Jesuit-educated with an MBA from Fordham University, The Bronx, N.Y., has travelled the country on her mission to pay forward the story of her late mother, Mary Finlayson, and her small containers stuffed with tiny notes of compassion and simple faith her family found after her death. The discovery prompted Quinlan to write “The God Box” and create a one-woman fundraiser show to benefit hospitals, retirement homes, children’s organizations, schools and women’s shelters.
The author spent much of the day at All Saints Regional, met with the student council, visited many classrooms and joined a librarians’ meeting. Later that evening, Quinlan presented her one-woman show at nearby Stafford Township Arts Center for an audience numbering over 100 teachers, parents and townspeople. Ticket sales from the fundraising event raised about $1,000 for the ASRCS development office to be used for tuition assistance to worthy students.
“It was a wonderful experience,” recalled Barrella. “The author made it very personal. It was very effective and very touching. I admired the fact she even personalized copies of her book and took no profits from the day; she just wanted to get the message out.”
The spiritual effects of the GODBOX presentation linger, reported the interim principal. “Every classroom now has a ‘God Box’ for the children’s prayer requests, and there’s a large wicker basket in the corridor for anyone to put one,” Barrella said. “It’s putting their faith into action.”
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By Christina Leslie|Correspondent
The students and faculty of All Saints Regional Catholic School, Manahawkin, put their faith into action Oct. 4 during a visit by renowned author Mary Lou Quinlan. Quinlan, whose novel “The God Box” details her mother’s written missives to the Creator, performed her one-woman play as a fundraiser for the Ocean County school and prompted students to create their own notes of prayer and supplication.
Click here to see photo gallery on this story.
“Sister Jeannette [Daily, principal of ASRCS], and her committee set this up in August,” said Elizabeth A. Barrella, interim principal of the Manahawkin school, revealing that Sister Jeannette emailed Quinlan after reading her book. She and the New York City-based author struck up a correspondence, and the plan for Quinlan to visit ASRCS for a fund raising event was launched.
Quinlan, Jesuit-educated with an MBA from Fordham University, The Bronx, N.Y., has travelled the country on her mission to pay forward the story of her late mother, Mary Finlayson, and her small containers stuffed with tiny notes of compassion and simple faith her family found after her death. The discovery prompted Quinlan to write “The God Box” and create a one-woman fundraiser show to benefit hospitals, retirement homes, children’s organizations, schools and women’s shelters.
The author spent much of the day at All Saints Regional, met with the student council, visited many classrooms and joined a librarians’ meeting. Later that evening, Quinlan presented her one-woman show at nearby Stafford Township Arts Center for an audience numbering over 100 teachers, parents and townspeople. Ticket sales from the fundraising event raised about $1,000 for the ASRCS development office to be used for tuition assistance to worthy students.
“It was a wonderful experience,” recalled Barrella. “The author made it very personal. It was very effective and very touching. I admired the fact she even personalized copies of her book and took no profits from the day; she just wanted to get the message out.”
The spiritual effects of the GODBOX presentation linger, reported the interim principal. “Every classroom now has a ‘God Box’ for the children’s prayer requests, and there’s a large wicker basket in the corridor for anyone to put one,” Barrella said. “It’s putting their faith into action.”
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