Greetings,
In our monastic life, 'Diamond Jubilee' refers to the 60th, 75th, and 80th anniversaries of a sister's first Monastic Profession. These celebrations reaffirm the joy of life, love of community, and devotion to service and prayer in the Church. We celebrated our Diamond Jubilarian sisters on Friday, July 31st with a Eucharistic Celebration for sisters during our Summer Monastic Chapter. This year the Jubilarians chose Pope Francis' words from the Year for Consecrated Life for their theme: Celebrating our monastic call with Gratitude, Passion, Hope.
"Together let us thank the Father, who called us to follow Jesus by fully embracing the Gospel and serving the Church, and poured into our hearts the Holy Spirit, the source of our joy and our witness to God’s love and mercy before the world... The first of these aims is to look to the past with gratitude... This Year also calls us to live the present with passion. Grateful remembrance of the past leads us, as we listen attentively to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church today, to implement ever more fully the essential aspects of our consecrated life... To embrace the future with hope should be the third aim of this Year"
(Pope Francis, Apostolic Letter to All Consecrated People)
After the Liturgy of the Word, our Prioress called the sisters forward to renew their Monastic Profession:
"Sisters, the Church rejoices with you today as you celebrate your 60th, 75th, and 80th anniversaries of Monastic Profession. We invite you now to renew the profession you made to Christ and the Church."
- Sr. Penny, Prioress; Sisters Jane and Marita, 60th Jubilee; Sr. Jeanne, Sub-Prioress Sisters Jeanette and Laeticia, 75th Jubilee; Sister Leonette, 80th Jubilee
The Catholic Church's blessing:
"May the blessing of Almighty God descend upon you to strengthen you in the coming years. May your faithfulness and serenity be a joy to you, an encouragement to others, and a constant witness to the Lord Jesus Christ. And may our loving God bring us all alike to everlasting life. Amen"
We continued to honor our Diamond Jubilarians with a festive meal after the Mass. They were ushered to tables especially set and decorated with flowers, sisters were assigned to serve each table of Jubilarians and their guests. As we gathered in the refectory, sisters took turns pausing at the celebrants tables with a hug to offer their gratitude, prayer, and joyful thanks. The dining room was filled with stories of their joyful service with gratitude for their past, honoring the passion of their present professed life, and praying with hope for all yet to come.
- Sister Laeticia celebrating her 75th Jubilee at supper with her friend Sr. Marielle.
- Sr. Sharon Ann joined Sister Leonette at table in celebrating her 80 years of Monastic Profession.
Blessings to you,
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