News of yesterday’s passing of Yogi Berra, New York’s (and the nation’s) baseball legend, opens the door for his presence to be transcendent in death as in life.  Berra will remain an inspiration as a model player, mentor, mind and man.

Less than a month ago, I sought a chance to sit together with Yogi, a Roman Catholic, and pray for the Mets’ continued success this season. For years, in his retirement, you could catch him at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center just up the road, at the other end of town. When word came back that it wouldn’t be possible, one could think that the end of an era had been signaled. But really, even in a modern world, it is ‘old school’ values and stuff that keeps good things, like baseball, going. Not easy, but essential.

Although it was too late to sit together, the message I received was clear:

Yogi is heartened by the Mets’ resurgence.

Condolences to the Berra family.

Send your thoughts, prayers and reservations for the October 3 Pilgrimage to Citi Field to pray4mets@gmail.com or follow on Twitter @Pray4Mets.

-Maureen Edelson

Montclair, New Jersey