St. Mary's Mercy Guest Cottage
Hours
St. Mary’s Mercy Guest Cottage is a freestanding house that will be a home-away-from-home for out-of-town families
who have traveled to be near a loved one. It will be especially helpful for families who need to be close to a loved
one in critical care, hospice, or Highland Hills.
Built in 1985, the cottage began life as a rental property at Highland Hills Village. In 2003, it became the convent
of the Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus who served at St. Mary’s and in the Athens community. As
their place of rest and refuge, it helped them in their efforts to carry St. Mary’s Mission forward: To serve
together in the spirit of the Gospel as a compassionate and transforming healing presence within our communities.
The guest cottage is the physical embodiment of our mission in action. It is an expression of who we are and what
our purpose is.
Master Bedroom
Living Room
How St. Mary’s Mercy Guest Cottage came to be
Ben Stephens
The conversion of the cottage was made possible by the Stephens family and a foundation they created in
memory of their son and brother, Ben Stephens. Ben, the son of Terry “Big Dawg” and Sue Stephens, grew up in
Oconee County. As a young adult, he led a full and active life as a photographer, videographer and
adventurer – including bicycling the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route through the Rocky Mountains. But on
Dec. 30, 2019, he was fatally injured in a car crash in the Atlanta area.
Ben passed away on Jan. 20, 2020, donating his organs so that others might live.
Not long after Ben had passed, the Stephens reached out to begin discussing their desire to start a similar service
for the families of patients at St. Mary’s. Talking with Vice President Tanya Adcock and other St. Mary’s leaders,
they came up with the plan to renovate and refurbish the cottage at Highland Hills.
“St. Mary's Mercy Guest Cottage will be a great blessing to out-of-town families,” St. Mary’s President and CEO
Montez Carter said at the blessing ceremony. “We know that whenever a loved one is in a hospital or hospice,
sometimes it's a very stressful time. And if loved ones live hours or days away, the stress is magnified many times
over. This beautiful cottage will take away much of that worry and hassle.”
The cottage is the perfect fit for how the Stephens family wanted to carry out their beloved son’s legacy. After
creating a foundation in honor of Ben, they made the decision that the Foundation’s first undertaking would be to
fund the renovation project and outfit the home. They chose soothing paint colors, attractive appliances, and
comfortable furniture, bringing a “homey” feel to the cottage. They included a variety of lovely home accessories,
especially beautiful photography taken by Ben during his travels out West.
Learn more about and/or make a donation to the Benjamin John Stephens Foundation