John Jay College Athletics

Bethlehem, Conn.— While the John Jay men’s basketball team collected 323 assists this season, the women’s basketball team 249, baseball team 385, softball team 294, women’s volleyball team 502 and men’s soccer team 12 in their respective sports this past season, the athletics department as a whole earned a huge team assist on Wednesday as a host of student-athletes gathered together to help nuns with farming duties at The Abbey of Regina Laudis, located in the rural area of Bethlehem, Connecticut.

In all more than thirty members of the John Jay athletics department, including three coaches and at least one team member of seven different sports, including baseball, softball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, women’s volleyball, women’s swimming and women’s tennis made the two hour trip north to assist the nuns with various duties and learn about the meaning behind the Abbey of Regina Laudis.

“It was very exciting and encouraging to have so many of our student-athletes make the trip and take such a tremendous interest in visiting the Abbey and to have such a strong desire to want to help,” said Interim Director of Athletics and head baseball coach, Dan Palumbo. “Everyone did such a terrific job up there and we learned a lot from the nuns.”

Upon their arrival at about 9:30 a.m., the team was treated with a breakfast courtesy of the Abbey. Then they were shown a video that gave an in-depth look about the history of the Abbey, its meaning and its objectives.

The student-athletes were then given a behind the scenes tour of the place.

After several hours on tour, the crew was treated to a lunch by the Abbey before getting to work.

Collectively, the John Jay student-athletes teamed up with the nuns and helped with farming, digging and gardening for the remainder of the time there.

The John Jay athletics department visit to the Abbey has developed into an annual tradition. The partnership was spearheaded by former Director of Athletics Susan Larkin who has had a relationship with the Abbey of Regina Laudis for more than 25 years, and the athletics department has visited the Abbey annually for the past two years.

The Abbey of Regina Laudis was founded in 1947 in Bethlehem, Conn and is a community of contemplative Benedictine women dedicated to the praise of God through prayer and work.

More information about the Abbey of Regina Laudis can be found on its website: http://www.abbeyofreginalaudis.com/