Nuns In Westchester County Need Help Fixing Convent's Heating As Winter Approaches
PEEKSKILL, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Some nuns in Westchester County say they can no longer heat their sprawling convent, and as winter approaches, they worry how they will stay warm.
At first glance, the old convent sitting in the warm, late autumn sun seemed almost untouched by time, CBS2's Lou Young reported.
However, a dwindling order of nuns at Mount St. Francis in Peekskill is dreading the arrival of cold weather after a pre-season check of the big boilers in the basement revealed that most of them -- six out of the eight -- will not work anymore.
"I doubt they could go through the winter and be properly heated," plumbing contractor Mario Bruni said.
"We've been here -- this is our 151st year," Sister Kathy Siegel, of Franciscan Sisters, said. "It's a very old building."
With its commanding views of the Hudson River, the convent is a place of inspirations and beauty, but when the wind comes across the water, they need the heat.
"When I first heard this news, I was pretty close to despair," Sister Laura Morgan said. "My office looks out here and it looked like a good jump just into the river. I said, 'you're in charge, you've got to do something, God, it's in your hands, because I don't know how to get $350,000.'"
The nuns were once hundreds strong and ran 30 schools and homes for needy children. Now, 21 are left, and they do tutoring, counseling and teaching on-site, along with administering a home for seniors.
As part of an international order, the church they serve has no financial responsibility for their plight.
"This is their building and the diocese isn't responsible for this particular building," Convent Chaplain Father Charles Reinbold said.
But they aren't exactly on their own. An online appeal raised more than $40,000 by Friday morning, and they hope more help will arrive before winter does.
Of those living in Peekskill, the youngest nun is 49 years old and the oldest is 105.