The new senator-elect from Massachusetts is not Catholic, but he has a long-standing relationship with an order of nuns:

The family worships at New England Chapel in Franklin, a member of the Christian Reformed Church of America, a Protestant denomination, but has developed a special relationship with an order of Cistercian Catholic nuns at Mt. St. Mary’s Abbey in Wrentham.

Many of the 48 nuns are from other countries, and Brown’s first contact was in response to their request for help on an immigration matter.

“It has turned into a beautiful friendship,” said Sister Katie McNamara, the monastery’s nurse.

Brown raised money to buy a special golf cart to transport elderly sisters, and, with his wife, has assisted efforts to raise $5.5 million needed to replace the order’s 50-year-old candy factory with an environmentally friendly plant, complete with solar panels and a wind turbine. The order is self-sustaining through sale of its candies and fudges.

“We pray for them every day,” Sister Katie said of Brown and his family.

“When you have nuns praying for you three times a day and you’re not Catholic, anything that anybody can do or say about me, it’s Teflon,” Brown said. “It bounces right off.”