I asked my contact. My co-workers were a bit concerned, and I was slightly alarmed, as well. Despite such a coincidence, I couldn't resist staying at a place as potentially peaceful as Mt. Calvary. I soon found myself driving up the grand approach to The Convent of St. Birgitta in Darien, Connecticut. Its 10-acre, shaded site offers plenty of strolling room for contemplative guests, while libraries and parlors provide cozy seating areas.
Guest rooms have simple but comfortable furnishings, and all have private baths.
Some have private balconies with views of the cove. The eight sisters in residence serve meals, maintain the house, and pray in the home's chapel, welcoming guests of all faiths to join them. At St. Birgitta, there's no silence rule like Mt. Calvary's, but a peaceful quiet pervades the place. Despite the serenity I found in this Connecticut cloister, my family and friends had no reason to fear that I would stay. I boarded the plane at the scheduled time, and since then, I've received no more signs that I should seek permanent residence in a convent.