# Marie Louise Kirkland

Sister Marie Louise (October 1899 – July 10, 1999) was a Roman Catholic nun and sports commentator in Washington, D.C. "Weezie" appeared on WUSA-TV with sportscaster Glenn Brenner.

## Early life

Born in Washington, DC, to Rose Virginia Kreamer Kirkland (1858–1944) and William L. Kirkland (1848–1918), with siblings William Louis Kirkland (1892–1955) and Camille Rose Kirkland Fisher (1901–1982), she played basketball in high school in Montgomery County, Maryland. She earned a degree from Immaculata College and worked as a courthouse clerk in Rockville, Maryland until her 30s. She entered Georgetown Visitation Monastery on January 5, 1935, and remained there as a semi-cloistered nun for the rest of her life. Although she initially worried that she'd have to give up sports, she was permitted to follow them avidly, especially her favorite, football.

## Career as a celebrity sports forecaster

DC sportscaster Glenn Brenner (see above) was a Roman Catholic who graduated from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, a Jesuit institution. When he heard from Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School alumnae that Sister Marie Louise had a talent for sports predictions, he invited her to call into his "Mystery Prognosticator Contest" in 1989. After she beat Brenner's other celebrity sports predictors including (according to her Washington Post obituary) "newscasters Dan Rather, Maureen Bunyan and Connie Chung; boxer Sugar Ray Leonard; actors William Shatner and Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens); members of the Temptations; and football stars Sonny Jurgensen and Mark Rypien -- People magazine and other publications came courting." Brenner made her a regular, thanks to the permission of Mother Mary DeSales, who happened to be an avid fan of football, and the story was picked up internationally. People magazine put her story on its cover. She won $1,000 for each correct prediction, and donated it all to Visitation school.
Washingtonian reporter Barbara Matusow wrote that when Glenn Brenner was dying prematurely at age 44 in the hospital, Sister Marie Louise was one of his last visitors along with fellow Channel 9 broadcaster Gordon Peterson.
   For Peterson, the most emotional moment came during the appearance of a most unlikely visitor. As he was standing in the hall, he spotted Sister Marie Louise, one of Brenner's favorite 'Guest Prognosticators,' heading toward him. A cloistered nun at Georgetown Visitation, she had seldom been out of the convent since the 1930s. Brenner had once sought the intervention of church authorities to allow her to attend a Redskins game, but she wasn't permitted to go.
   'How the hell did she get out?' Peterson wondered as she approached. 'Did she scale the wall?'
   'Hi, Weezie,' Peterson said, hoping she wouldn't think he was too fresh for using her nickname.
   'Hi, honey,' she answered. 'I'm praying for a miracle, and I better get one.'
   Peterson motioned her inside.
   'Hey, Glenn, Weezie's here,' he said softly. Suddenly, Brenner opened his eyes, made his trademark half-wink, half-grimace, and waved. Everyone in the room gasped.
   Peterson fell apart. 'If it hadn't been for someone holding me up, I would have passed out. I think I'm getting more spiritual as I get older, but I honestly sensed the presence of God in the room at that moment.'
Sister Kirkland was included in the comments of Rep. Constance Morella (R-MD), when she paid tribute to Glenn Brenner on the floor of the U. S. House of Representatives: "Whether it was his `Weenie of the Week’ award, his constant pranks, or his guest football prognosticator interviews, Glenn kept it light. Who can forget his wonderful interviews with Sister Marie Louise, classics in the annals of Washington broadcasting."