Mother Dolores launches 4 Million Dollar renovation project
Dolores Hart & Elvis Presley In the little town of Bethlehem, a cloistered nun whose luminous blue eyes entranced Elvis Presley in his first on-screen, 1957 movie kiss is praying for a Christmas miracle. Dolores Hart, 73, who walked away from Hollywood stardom in 1963 to become a nun in rural Bethlehem, Conn., now finds herself back in the spotlight. But this time, it’s all about serving the King of Kings, not smooching the King of Rock and Roll. The former brass factory that houses Mother Dolores and about 40 other nuns who are cloistered at the Abbey of Regina Laudis needs millions of dollars in renovations to meet fire and safety codes, add an elevator and make handicap-accessibility upgrades. Now the historically self-supporting nuns have launched a fund-raiser for the $4 million renovation project. “This work may not be in my lifetime that it’s finished, but we’re sure trying,” Mother Dolores said of the upgrades. They hope to break ground in January. They’re