Kate Flannery is an American actor best known for playing the role of Meredith Palmer on the NBC series, The Office, and serving as a guest performers on Dancing with the Stars. Lesser-known is that Flannery has a deep connection to The Miraculous Medal Shrine.

The actor’s father, Tom Flannery, and his brother were raised in Germantown. Each week, the brothers rode their bikes to the Shrine to attend the Monday Novena. Their weekly pilgrimages continued for decades.In a recent visit to the Shrine with her father, Flannery shared that, “My dad was here every Monday until the age of 92, when he stopped driving. He’s now 95. As a kid raised in Germantown, his family members were regulars.”

He and his brother met here weekly, says Flannery, then chuckles, “…up and through their old age.” During their visit, Tom Flannery was pleased to talk with some Vincentian Priests and was surprised that they watched The Office.

Flannery summed up her connection to the Shrine saying, “All of the Flannery’s love the Shrine. It really is one of the best places on earth.”