Tim Russert and the Mercy nuns

As most of you know by know, Tim Russert, the host of NBC News' "Meet the Press," died suddenly of a heart attack on June 13.
Interestingly enough, we McCorrys have something in common with him. Russert grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., and attended two Catholic grade schools, St. Bonaventure and Holy Family. Both were run by the Religious Sisters of Mercy. In his book, "Big Russ and Me," Russert wrote about one of his favorite nuns, Sr. Mary Lucille, who helped him get into a Jesuit high school, and with whom he remained friends throughout his life. On today's "Meet the Press," devoted to a special tribute to Russert, California's First Lady Maria Shriver -- also from an Irish-Catholic family and the recipient of a Jesuit education -- told of being introduced to Sr. Lucille by Russert when she was a correspondent at NBC's Washington bureau.
In the wake of our recent honor of Sr. Benedicta, Aunt Eleanor, I thought I'd add this anecdote as a reminder of how important a role the Mercy nuns played in Russert's life...as well as in all of ours.