Sister Mary Lou Buser

Sister Mary Lou Buser has always had a sensitivity for Earth. She traces its concretizing to her childhood during World War II. Families were encouraged to grow their own food if they could in what were called Victory Gardens. Mary Lou’s father decided to plant one and Mary Lou recalls her excitement as she watched him put the seeds in the ground. Every day she ran out to see if the plants had grown and inspect them for tomatoes.

She carried her love of nature throughout her school years and always had plants of some sort. After entering the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1952 she lived the usual convent life and taught first in elementary schools and then high school biology. It was then, in 1969, that she moved to Bohemia with a group of sisters and was able to grow a vegetable garden- all organic. She was back to nurturing Earth and Earth gave back with generosity. They ate and shared its vegetables each summer.

During this time Mary Lou was still teaching HS Biology. Although she enjoyed teaching, she knew she had always wanted to be in a health profession. She was deciding she would like to become a physical therapist and enable people to function in their own homes. She continued teaching but received permission and studied at Columbia and eventually got her supervision at Maria Regina. Mary Lou continued to teach but eventually became a full time home visiting physical therapist.

When the sisters had to leave Bohemia. Mary Lou kept her care of Earth alive by living at and volunteering to care for the grounds at Sweet Briar Nature Center in Smithtown. After a few years, she moved to Brentwood and it was here that she was able to begin a permanent garden.

In the early 1980’s awareness was being raised that global warming was getting dangerous. Mary Lou decided that her response could be founding an organic garden. She asked for and received a piece of land on the Brentwood grounds near the barn.

The Organic Garden expanded a little each year. A table was put out for anyone who needed it to take whatever vegetables were available. Sisters and neighbors came and often donations were left. Mary Lou was joined by a faithful volunteer Ernie Harrington. One day they discovered 18 chickens that had been dropped off overnight. At the time, they knew nothing about chickens, but Ernie built a coop and now eggs were left on the table with the vegetables. About twelve years ago Heather Ganz joined Mary Lou and the Garden Ministry was formalized. Many volunteers joined the effort.

Now the Garden Ministry is not only a vegetable garden. It is a place for gathering of the local community and those who want to learn about Earth and discuss their spirituality.

Everyone is invited to participate in prayer experiences marking the change of seasons. Sisters and neighbors join in the winter months for pizza at the brick oven. There are retreat experiences around the bread baked from the flour of the wheat grown. Children’s clubs and programs teach them to experience, love and care for Earth and its creatures. Various events are held such as a Plant Swap which bring people together. One of the great successes is the establishment of 24 Community Gardens where families can come and learn to grow their own organic vegetables for food.

At the Garden Ministry people learn and experience that we are all one – one with the soil, the animals, the plants and each other. The garden teaches that life thrives on cooperation. One thing helps another in God’s creation. All is one.

Mary Lou believes that this is an important part of our congregational mission and Land Ethic Statement as we respond to the crucial signs of the times. In a time of exploitation of Earth to our mutual peril, teaching mutual respect for Earth and its gifts, and cooperation and care for one another as members of God’s glorious creation is a ray of hope shining from a welcoming garden in Brentwood.