Salaam and Peace!
I’m Sister Mary.
Stories of an American convert to Islam, writings about travel to Morocco, diving deep into the Muslim-American experience
My Latest Posts
- 10 Things I Hate About the Netflix Show ‘Mo’…she says with a glimmer of sarcasm in her eye. Dear reader, if you can stomach a little sarcastic humor that will shine a light on some social structures that could use some updating, then read on. And if you want to know exactly why you absolutely should watch the Netflix show “Mo,” read on,Continue reading “10 Things I Hate About the Netflix Show ‘Mo’”
- An award-winning Essay on Muslim Culture in America: A Muslim American Convert Breaks With Tradition“What was I doing anyway, a New Englander making Moroccan food? Where did New England fit into Ramadan? Was there room in Ramadan for the bright red maple trees and the long winters of my childhood? For the steeples and the statues of my heritage? Was there room for me?” -Mary Johnson from “Breaking WithContinue reading “An award-winning Essay on Muslim Culture in America: A Muslim American Convert Breaks With Tradition”
- How a Muslim Learned to Love the Catholic SaintsMother Mary, Our Lady of Help The shuffle of opened-toed sandals on the baked sidewalk is a noisy backdrop for adoration, yet crowds swell the streets every August in Boston’s Little Italy to venerate the Madonna del Soccorso. Our Lady of Help. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, has come to the aid of countless individualsContinue reading “How a Muslim Learned to Love the Catholic Saints”
- I Remember ThemIt is said that each time and place and people had a messenger from God. What would it be to know all their names? Mary Johnson, Journeys of a Muslim Heart There is a place I can go to in my mind where all 150,000 prophets are gathered. We speak each other’s names and greetContinue reading “I Remember Them”
- Bargaining for the truthThere are a precious few lies I have told to my loved ones. I don’t really like to bring them up in fact, mostly because they involve some element of saving face, rather than a brave, heroic gesture, as some lies are. They are not typically the type of story I like to tell. IContinue reading “Bargaining for the truth”
- Bargaining post on it’s way!
- A Muslim Keeps Jesus in Her Heart
I knelt before the crucifix in front of the old church in Granada. I wept at the cruelty of it all. Jesus was my friend. - Have Toddlers, Will TravelA Moroccan airplane journey… with a toddler and one infant in tow. Many have to leave off travel when they settle down and start a family: travel being the very stressful endeavor of getting from one place to another with as few things as possible, and parenting being the courageous attempt of going out into theContinue reading “Have Toddlers, Will Travel”
- Customizing Stencils for New England tastes… Can Faith be Customized?
- Birthdays of ProphetsIt’s the first of the third month in the Islamic calendar: Rabia’ Al awwal. “The first spring” in English. Here in Massachusetts it’s a lovely October day, one of the last of the warm days of late summer in New England. But even though the weather here does not match the climate of the desertContinue reading “Birthdays of Prophets”
Journeys of a Muslim Heart 