Mother Dolores Hart and author Ree Howell visited St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church on November 9 to share stories and speak about Ms Howell’s book Loving Mother Dolores.

The morning event began with Reverend Tuesday Rupp of St Paul’s Episcopal Church in Woodbury introducing Mother Dolores. Rev Rupp said she first met Mother Dolores seven years ago when she passed a “cute church.” She decided to go inside, and now she is the reverend at that church and a friend of Mother Dolores.

“We never know where the paths we take are going to lead,” said Rev Rupp.

Mother Dolores was a star in Hollywood films during the 1950s and early 60s, having made her movie debut with Elvis Presley in Loving You (1957), according to a release for the event. She made ten films in five years, also playing opposite Stephen Boyd, Montgomery Clift, George Hamilton, and Robert Wagner, before becoming a nun at The Abbey at Regina Laudis in Bethlehem. She has been with the monastic foundation since that time.

Mother Dolores introduced the more than 150 attendees at the St Rose event to Ms Howell and shared stories from her childhood. She also offered tales from her time in Hollywood, along with wisdom she learned along the way.

“You never know day-by-day that what you are going through is God’s way of preparing you for something else,” Mother Dolores reflected, after sharing that as a child she would assist at a movie theater by watching until the movie reels ran low. She watched the actors on screen and learned how they handled themselves in front of a camera, she said.

Later, she took drama classes, and a teacher encouraged her to try out for a university play for the roll of a saint.

“I got the part. I could not believe it,” said Mother Dolores, adding that as a freshman, it was particularly unbelievable, as parts were typically given to seniors.

As an actress, Mother Dolores said she learned through meeting people in Hollywood, like Elvis Presley, to not judge people based on their reputations.

When describing her first meeting with Ms Howell, Mother Dolores said their first hour of conversation “went right to the heart of this old Catholic.” Many other heart-to-hearts followed, and Ms Howell eventually presented Mother Dolores with pages that would be the book Loving Mother Dolores.

Refreshments were served at the event. According to a description of the morning program, everything Mother Dolores receives for speaking engagements goes to the New Horizons Building Fund at Regina Laudis in Bethlehem. St Rose Parish member Peggy Baiad coordinated the event and greeted all as they entered.