Seek 21 was this year’s FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) conference. With the pandemic, it had to be done virtually, with youth taking part from where they lived, around the country. Our Pennsylvania Sisters were able to join the group of participants at Cathedral parish in Philadelphia. May God grant that much fruit comes from this conference!
We rejoice with Sr. Mary Anthonia Okpikuma, who made her final vows on this day. To give oneself to God forever–what a beautiful offering! Besides the crown of roses and the crucifix ring, the mission crucifix received at final vows is a sign of our perpetual dedication, that we will be a “willing holocaust for the redemption of the most abandoned souls.” May God’s grace and strength be with Sr. Mary Anthonia forever!
On January 25th we remember with gratitude the fullness of the inspiration to found the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate given to Mother Mary Teresa Tallon, then Sister Mary Berchmans, a Sister of the Holy Cross, on this day in 1908:
“God revealed to me clearly, at Holy Mass, in the chapel at 143 W. 61st Street, New York City, on January 25, 1908, the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, what it was He wanted. I must establish an Institute where women would be trained to greater spiritual perfection and, being formed in the contemplative spirit, go out in search of the lost lambs and bring them back to the fold by means of Christian instruction. I saw God’s will clearly and received strong assurances of His powerful protection. Jesus offered Himself as security for the work, and promised to supply by His infinite perfection, the lack on my part.”
This year we were privileged to have Cardinal Timothy Dolan celebrate Mass with us on that day, with Bishop Gerardo Colacicco and Rev. Stephen Ries as concelebrants.
Postulant Debra Comins, from Cleveland, New York, today began her novitiate, and is now called Sister Debra Marie. Please pray with us for her and for all our Sisters, as well as for many more good, holy vocations to the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate.
Today postulant Sally Yu, from California, began her novitiate. Sally is now Sister Sylvia Marie (using her baptism name of Sylvia, as is our custom). Today we also welcomed a new postulant, Debra Comins, from upstate New York, Here is a photo of Sister Sylvia Marie and one of her with Debbie, Sr. Mary Beata, the novice director, and Mother Maria Catherine.
Please join us in this prayer from the ceremony of reception into the novitiate: “Let us pray for all Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, that we remain faithful to the original vocation of Mother Mary Teresa in our contemplative communion with Jesus, our thirst for holiness of life, sisterly charity, and missionary zeal for the most rejected and neglected.”
The 100th anniversary of our community was celebrated on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with a beautiful Mass at which Cardinal Timothy Dolan was the main celebrant. (The original plan was to have a big Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, but the Cardinal felt it was not prudent during this pandemic.)
Priests joining the Cardinal at Mass were Fr. Stephen Reis, the cardinal’s secretary, Fr. David Rider, Fr. Thomas Byrnes, Fr. Chris Argano, Fr. Paul Sullivan, Fr. Jack Arlotta, and Fr. John Wilson.
Before Mass the Cardinal prayed briefly at the sarcophagus of Servant of God Mother Mary Teresa Tallon. During His homily he spoke of how closely our foundress patterned her life after the Blessed Virgin, her total obedience in following God’s will to found our community, and her emphasis on combining contemplative prayer with missionary outreach and catechetics.
We look forward to the future years with confidence in God, and we praise Him for all the blessings of the past 100 years.
