“When you needed to connect to spirit, that’s just where you went”, Kacey Morabito Grean shares about Graymoor. Kacey, a WHUD radio host and long-time friend of the Friars has been traveling to Graymor since she was a child. As she looks forward to facilitating her second retreat at Graymoor, she recalls the special place the Friars have had in her life and in the community.
Kacey grew up in Peekskill and, she explains, Graymoor has long been an integral part of her life. One memory that sticks out from her younger years, is the last time she remembers being with her grandmother, who passed away from heart disease in her sixties. Kacey, her mother, and her grandmother went to Graymoor to pray for her grandmother and to get some holy water. On that day, Kacey purchased a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, a statue that she kept for decades.
Gradually Kacey’s involvement with the Friars increased, starting with when she had the opportunity to read a prayer at the annual Blessing of the Animals at Graymoor near the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. She regularly attends the Sunday 11 a.m. Mass and often Emcees various events held by the Friars. When asked what it is that draws her to the spirit of the Friars, she says, “What inspires me so much of the Friars of the Atonement is their dedication to the poorest of the poor and the neediest of the needy. They don’t shy away from the big problems.”
Kacey exhibits the Friars’ charism of At-one-ment not only when she visits Graymoor, but also in her work as the WHUD host of the show “Health and Happiness”, which centers around being connected to the spirit and divinity. She is particularly passionate about inspiring women to find the spirit within and to embrace health of body and spirit.
Fr. Tom Orians, SA, invited her to start hosting what is now known as the Women of Wonder retreat, which will be held this year from August 17-19. Kacey plans to make use of the grounds at Graymoor as much as possible, highlighting silent hikes on the Appalachian trail, a candlelight labyrinth, and even a campfire! She emphasizes the power of spending time in nature and reflecting in silence upon a word and what it might mean for your life.
Like many pilgrims to Graymoor, Kacey is more than a visitor, she is part of the community that shares the spirit of the Friars. The Friars welcome her involvement and continue to welcome men and women to become part of their mission of unity with God, with others, and with themselves.