Diocese honors jubilarians

PASSAIC  With more 3,000 combined years of service to the people of the Paterson Diocese, 58 religious sisters and three religious priests were honored at the annual Jubilee Mass for Religious on May 18 in St. Mary’s Assumption Church here. These religious, who are marking milestone anniversaries this year, have dedicated their lives to serve the Church through various ministries in the Diocese and beyond. The Mass also marked the diocesan celebration of World Day of Consecrated Life, which is marked internationally by the Holy Father and the universal Church on Feb. 2.

In his welcoming message to the jubilarians, Bishop Serratelli expressed his gratitude to the religious who “have lovingly given their lives to others.”

The significant milestones of the jubilarians ranged from 25 years to 80 years and represented several religious orders that serve in the Diocese and undertake many distinct charisms and ministries, which include education, healthcare, pastoral care, mission work and more.

Benedictine Abbot Richard Cronin of St. Mary Abbey in Morristown delivered the homily at the Jubilee Mass and spoke about the reading from the Acts of the Apostles about the Gentiles, who continued Christ’s work, as being similar to the work of religious today “by teaching the young, caring for the poor and the sick and administering to the faithful in our parishes. We pray that even more young men and women today follow their example.”

Abbot Cronin said, “God has a way of moving us to renew our commitment to seek God in community prayer and to accept day-by-day God’s total claim on us and by our consecrated life to direct others to find the kingdom of God.”

During the Mass, the religious jubilarians stood to recite together a renewal of commitment to consecrated life. Combined together, the jubilarians have contributed more than 3,600 years of love, commitment, passion and prayers to the people they serve in the Diocese. In their renewal of commitment, they prayed, “I renew my vows to follow Christ in chastity, poverty and obedience. Grant me the grace, Lord, through the intercession of Our Lady and the prayers and support of my institute, to live these vows faithfully.”

Toward the end of Mass, Kerry Timony, administrative assistant to Sister of Christian Charity Joan Daniel Healy, diocesan vice chancellor and delegate to religious, announced the names of honorees in attendance and Bishop Serratelli, assisted by Msgr. James Mahoney, vicar general and moderator of the Curia, and Sister Joan Daniel, presented certificates and a gift to the jubilarians. Afterward, the congregation was invited to a reception and luncheon.

At the reception, the religious congratulated each other on their jubilees. Franciscan Sister of St. Elizabeth Liberina DePari is marking her golden jubilee this year. Superior of her order, which is based in Parsippany, she has served in four countries — the U.S., India, Indonesia and the Philippines. “The Lord has been good to us and I thank him every day for what he has given us,” she said.

To young people, who may be considering a vocation, Sister DePari said, “Have faith in the Lord, courage to respond to the call and go forward hoping, trusting and not to be afraid of what God has planned for you.”

Filippini Sister Josephine Palmeri, a diamond jubilarian marking 60 years in religious life, has spent most of her ministry teaching teenagers in all subjects. She has taught at diocesan high schools and at all-girl academies and said, “I would do it all over again.”

While she has served at Catholic schools, Sister Palmeri attended public school but lived in a close-knit Catholic family, who prayed the rosary every night, which helped nurture her vocation. “My calling comes directly from the Holy Spirit and at 20, I was ready to become a religious sister.”

Celebrating 70 years of religious life, Sister of Christian Charity Theresa Marie Yeakel had taught math at Morris Catholic High School in Denville for many years and continues to serve at parishes in Morristown helping young people prepare for the sacraments. On the occasion of her jubilee, she simply said, “God is good. God is great!”

At the end of Mass, Bishop Serratelli told the jubilarians, “We are so blessed to have your presence and to have your witness in our Diocese. We are grateful for the gift of your lives. When you travel along the highway, there are always signs telling you where your destination is and that is exactly what your consecrated lives are. You are the signs that God places in the roadways of life to lead his people to heaven. By being witnesses of chastity, poverty and obedience, and especially your charity toward one another, we mirror those virtues we need in our own lives. After being a priest for many years, I know what a great sacrifice it is to live a religious life and for those sacrifices you make and continue to make, we are indeed blessed.”