50 Years a Bride of Christ!

Sr. Mary Veronica as a Junior Professed Nun (1974)

On April 29th, our beloved Sr. Mary Veronica celebrated her Golden Jubilee of Passionist Profession —50 years as a bride of Jesus Crucified! The past 23 of those years have been spent as Novice Directress, a role that fits her like a glove. The little girl who once wanted “as many children as a house can hold” is now the spiritual mother of countless young women who have spent time under her tutelage in our novitiate.

This legacy of spiritual motherhood formed a special part of our Gaudeamus Day in her honor on May 8th. Of course, we also had to include some other Jubilee traditions … a gourmet menu, a newly-composed skit, and a golden “wheelbarrow” wheelchair to take Sister from place to place around the monastery! It was a day full of joyful sisterhood, heartfelt gratitude, and flowers galore (Sister Mary Veronica is our garden aficionado, after all!).

Enjoy some photos from the special occasion, and join us in giving thanks to God for the gift of Sister Mary Veronica’s “yes” to His call!

Sr. Miriam Esther and Christie pose with the Jubilarian, decked out in flower crown and bouquet

Sister Mary Veronica's love for gardening is proverbial, we decided to pay tribute to this love in her Jubilee wheelchair!

Sr. Mary Veronica poses with novitiate members (Sr. Isabel Maria, Carolina, and Sr. Bethany Marie) with a liturgy-themed board game they created as a gift for her

We enjoyed our test run of "Liturgy: The Game"!

Lunch was served outdoors, in the cloister walkways, in honor of our nature-loving Sister

L-R: Sr. Cecilia Maria, Sr. Mary Magdalen, Mother Catherine Marie, live-in visitor Noelle, Christie, Sr. Mary Elizabeth

A scene from our Jubilee skit: young Maria (Sr. Mary Veronica), played by Sr. Isabel Maria, shares her dreams for the future with her little sister Annie (played by Sr. Frances Marie)

On the eve of Maria's entrance into the monastery, her favorite saint, St. Therese of Lisieux (Carolina), offers some words of encouragement

The new postulant is greeted by a chorus of Sisters

"Sister Mary Veronica" seeks counsel from her spiritual director, Msgr Bernard Powers (played by Sr. Bethany Marie). (This scene really brought down the house!)

It is our custom to purchase a piece of sacred art/vestments/liturgical vessels in honor of Silver and Golden Jubilees. For Sr. Mary Veronica, we got this beautiful Last Supper triptych to hang in our refectory after the renovations are complete!

“Behold, I and the children God has given me!”

— Hebrews 2:13

Sr. Mary Veronica with some of her spiritual daughters