Behind the red-brick walls encircling the Convent of Mercy in Brooklyn, generations of nuns have taught the illiterate, sheltered the homeless and raised orphans. They are known as the Walking Sisters, ministering in the community as well as inside their convent.
Now, after 146 years, it is time for the small band of sisters, most of them retired, to walk away from the convent. The leadership of their order, the Sisters of Mercy, decided to shutter the place and scatter the sisters to other homes and nursing facilities after realizing it would cost more than $20 million to fix serious structural and accessibility problems in the fortresslike building on Willoughby Avenue in Clinton Hill.
The building is not considered a landmark (although judging from the photos, the interior of the chapel is lovely and the exterior is interesting), so there's a good chance that if sold it would be 'developed' (read, torn down and something put in its place).
The Walking Sisters cared for a lot of children in their years in Brooklyn, and they refused to stay confined in the safety of their convent, but went out into the community to deal with issues like poverty and disease. They touched many lives and I'm sure that many people will remember them fondly.
The problem in this case, of course, is the building. It's a shame that the women will be scattered to the four winds, when this has been home to them for so many years. But even though I'm not Catholic, I find it also sad that so few young women are entering the orders to help sustain their vitality. I have great respect for nuns, sisters, monks, and priests. If I were Catholic, I'd be very tempted to become a nun (although I'm a little short on obedience sometimes). :) I wish the ladies well.
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