Shelly Pennefather
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March 2, 2022Who is Shelly Pennefather?
She was the all-time leading scorer for men and women in Villanova University Basketball and went on to be the highest paid women’s basketball player in the world.
Shelly played 3 years at Bishop Machebeuf High School in Denver. They won 3 championships. After her father was transferred to upstate New York, she attended Utica’s Notre Dame Jr. Sr. High School.
Shelly led her basketball team in New York State to Federation championships. She spent one year at Notre Dame High School and led the team to a 26-0 in the 1982-1983.
She scored 496 points her senior year and tied the record for field goals (19) in a single game.
Needless to say, several colleges wanted her to sign up to play for the them. Shelly had always been one who loves the Lord, and when the recruiter, Coach Perretta, from Villanova came to interview her, she knew she wanted to go there. Not because of the many good things he had to say about Villanova but because he was wearing a Brown Scapular and prayed the Rosary every day having a great devotion to the Blessed Mother, Mary.
She remains the top-scoring player, man or woman, in Villanova University history with 2,408 points without benefit of the 3-point shot.
After her college career at Villanova under Coach Perretta, Shelly accepted the Japanese women’s pro basketball contract which made her the highest paid woman basketball player in the world.
But after one year she became home sick and wanted to come home. The team was not doing well and if they finished at the bottom, she would have to stay with the team in Japan for another two months.
So, Shelly made a promise to God that if she could come home, she would donate her bonus of $200,000 (which would be $400,000 today) to Mother Teresa’s work and spend those two-month doing volunteer work.
Her team in Japan turned their season around and finished third. Shelly returned to the U.S. and fulfilled her promises by working in a soup kitchen at the Missionary Sisters of Charity in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
Where is Shelly Pennefather now?
She heard a call from God to follow Him closely in the religious life. She accepted that call and now lives a life of total silence and constant prayer. She sees her family once every 25 years.
Why did she choose this life?
Why did she leave family, fame and fortune to live a life of poverty and seclusion? Because she loves God above all things and has given her life totally to Him. She is in the cloistered order of Poor Clares at their Alexandria, Va., convent. In a convent full of tiny nuns, the 6-foot-1 basketball player stands out.
Her name is Sr. Rose Marie of the Queen of Angels.
In a speech, Coach Perretta, described the duties of the nuns in the cloister as being in constant prayer. They know what is going on in the world, about the wars and urgent needs of specific peoples. They get a briefing every day from their Mother Superior. Coach Perretta also said the nuns get special prayer requests from the public. He told of a special rosary they said for him every day while he was sick three years ago. He gave credit for his healing to both the medicine and the prayers of the nuns.
Shelly willingly gave her life to God and fortune for the salvation of souls.
What are we willing to do?
Information from:
https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/27297631/happened-villanova-basketball-star-shelly-pennefather-made-deal-god
Including the Video about Shelly - "A Long Embrace"
https://thecatholicsun.com/shelly-pennefather-day-honors-hoopster-who-pivoted-to-cloister/ Nov 17, 2021 By Tom Loughlin, Jr.
Pictures from: ESPN special “A Long Embrace” Youtube
