Nuns To Host Annual NJ Surfing Contest

(NewsCore) - Nuns from a Pennsylvania convent are preparing to host an annual surfing contest in Stone Harbor, N.J., the New York Post reported Sunday.

The Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary will launch its 15th Nun's Beach Surf Invitational on Sept. 11, with proceeds going to the maintenance of Villa Maria by the Sea -- its 150-bedroom beachfront retreat on the harbor.

Though it might seem like a strange alliance, the pact between surfer and nun in Stone Harbor was forged more than 60 years ago when local surfers approached the retreat asking if they could ride its waves. The nuns own the pristine, block-long strand.

The nuns warmly greeted the beach bums, and the swath of surf was soon dubbed "Nun's Beach."

The sisters often sit on the beach and even draw spiritual inspiration watching the wave-riders.

"It's very peaceful," said Sister James Dolores, 73, the retreat's property manager. "You see how the water holds them up, balances them and if you ride with the water, it will get you where you want to go. That's how it is with the grace of God."

Bill Deger, now 64, and his surfing buddies once coaxed an 83-year-old nun onto a surfboard.

"One of her life's dreams was to be able to surf," Deger, 64, said of the late Sister Loyola. "So we got her out in knee-deep water and held her on. She loved it. It was an incredible experience."

In 1996, a small group of surfers led by Larry Gehrke and Deger decided it was time to give back to the nuns -- by running a contest to help fund the retreat's upkeep.

The event has gotten so popular that the staff capped the number of contestants at about 100, though hundreds of spectators attend.

All money -- from the $35 entry fees to the hot dogs and sodas sold by the nuns -- go to the convent, which uses the proceeds to fix plumbing, replace tiles and update bedrooms and exteriors.

"The surf contest is the single most important event for raising awareness of our presence here and who and what we are about," said Sister James.

Read more: New York Post