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Epiphanies of Beauty - May 20th
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Sr. Joseph Spring was honored along with two other honorees, by Mary Queen of All Nations Missionary Alliance in honor of its 33^rd Anniversary at a dinner at the Madison Hotel on December 10. The Alliance’s mission is to support the poor and needy in the world through established missionaries, to help the poor and needy stand on their feet through self-sufficiency projects and to provide educational support to rise above poverty.  Sr. Joseph was chosen for her outstanding service to the unique mission of ACS which exists to educate women called to the life of consecration to God and of service in the Roman Catholic Church.  Sr. Joseph has gone above and beyond promoting “Teach a Sister…Touch the World”.  We applaud and thank Sr. Joseph for her commitment and her outstanding love and care to the Sisters who study and live at ACS. 

A prayer service and reception were offerered recently for The Franciscan Sisters of Saint Elizabeth and their newly appointed Delegate General and Councilors. You can find the sisters hard at work in early child care at St. Elizabeth's School in Parsippany. God bless you and the work you do for our diocese!

(L-R) Sr. Cathy Lynn Cummings, Councilor, Mother Lilly Perapadan, Delegate General, Sister Liberina DePari, Councilor, Sr. Anne Mankuzha, Councilor

A day of Spiritual Solidarity and Support for the Cloistered and Monastic Life has been planned with the support of the Institute of Religious Life and will be celebrated on Monday, November 21. Resources can be found by visiting http://www.cloisteredlife.com. 

FLORHAM PARK, NJ – For the past 157 years to the present, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth have been engaged in a variety of education, social, health care and pastoral ministries. In addition, for over 86 years, the Sisters have maintained a retirement ministry for its members at Saint Anne Villa. After an in-depth study of the future retirement needs and the ongoing demands of their mission and works, the Sisters of Charity realized it was no longer feasible to continue this retirement ministry on their own.

With the help of consultants, the Sisters of Charity explored possible purchasers to help them maintain the best quality of long-term and assisted living care of all of their sisters. After a thorough examination of various options, it was decided the best option was a transfer of ownership to an organization with similar mission and values who would commit to a plan to continue the care of the sisters. Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey (LSMNJ) was identified as the best choice to serve the overall needs of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth community and its mission. “LSMNJ met the Sisters’ criteria on every level and has a reputation as a very capable provider. LSMNJ offers the Congregation a deep respect for the spiritual needs of the sisters in addition to being able to provide a continuum of quality of health care,” said Sister Rosemary Moynihan, General Superior for the Sisters of Charity.

The transition will be effective October 1, 2016, at which time the facility name will change from Saint Anne Villa to The Villa at Florham Park. At that time, the facility will be open to applications for men and women residents.

The Sisters of Charity prayerfully continue to move forward with great care and attention to the present and future needs of the Congregation’s retired members and to their mission. The Sisters have welcomed this new direction, particularly by the sisters who will reside at The Villa at Florham Park. They ask for your continued support and prayers during this transition. 

“O God, we come before you with gratitude and praise; accept the gift we offer: ourselves for all our days.” These words rang out in joy-filled song in the Chapel of Mary Immaculate, Mallinckrodt Convent, Mendham, New Jersey on August 21.

The Sisters of Christian Charity observed the 167^th anniversary of the congregation’s founding by Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt with a Mass celebrating the Sisters’ many years of consecrated service.  The brother of Sister Anna Theresa Tran, Rev. Michael Manh Tran of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana was the main celebrant with nine priests concelebrating.  Rev. Robert J. Simon of the Diocese of Scranton delivered the homily.  During the liturgy, the Sisters renewed their vows as Sisters of Christian Charity.

After a festive meal and a program of thanksgiving for the Sister jubilarians, the SCCs ended the day with a commissioning service. Sister Mary Edward Spohrer, Provincial Superior, encouraged the Sisters to “go and be angels of charity to each other and to the world.”
 

Faithful Years of Service – (seated from left) Sr. Catherine Marie McCaffrey, Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill PA, 25 years; Sr. Shawn Donnelly, Holy Family Convent, Danville PA, 50 years; Sr. Josita Marks, St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi Parish, Flemington NJ, 50 years; Sr. Edmund Joseph Reif, Mallinckrodt Convent, Mendham NJ, 60 years; (standing from left) Sr. Anna Nguyen, St. Nicholas Parish, Wilkes-Barre PA, 25 years; Sr. Diane Moughan, Morris Catholic High School, Denville NJ, 50 years; Sr. Mary Selina McHugh, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, South Orange NJ, 50 years; Sr. Anna Theresa Tran, Immaculate Conception School, Bronx NY, 25 years; Sr. Gerardine Tantsits, St. Anthony Convent, Neighborhood Center for Women, Passaic NJ, 50 years; Sr. Donna Marie Kemberling, Director of Novices, Mallinckrodt Convent, Mendham NJ, 50 years; Sr. Mary Irene Sorber, West Virginia Institute for Spirituality, Charleston WV, 50 years; Sr. Justina Lanasa, Holy Family Convent, Danville PA, 50 years; (back from left) Sr. Gale Ann Pankowski, Chaplain, St. Barnabas Hospital, Livingston NJ, 50 years; Sr. Donna Brady, Provincial Secretary, Mallinckrodt Convent Mendham NJ, 50 years

Hearing and Answering God’s Call

The annual Rite of Investing into Novitiate Formation took place August 20 in the Chapel of Mary Immaculate, Mallinckrodt Convent, Mendham, New Jersey. Two young women were presented to the congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity.  Within the prayer service, they received a white veil, a blessed rosary, and the title “Sister” from Sister Mary Edward Spohrer, Provincial Superior. 

Who are these women who caught the whispers of God’s call to enter religious life? What motivated them to begin the journey of discernment with this community of Sisters? 

Rosa Arca, was born in Tarma, Peru, the youngest of seven children, four brothers and two sisters.  Rosa lived most of her life in Piura and Lima, Peru.  Her parents were faithful Catholics and desired that she receive a Catholic elementary and high school education.  As a teen, she joined the local parish youth group and at thirteen began wondering whether she was called to religious life.  After high school, Rosa ministered to the poor in Peru, Mexico, and California as a catechist.  Later, she joined the “I Thirst” Lay Missionary Movement giving retreats and spiritual assistance to people in Mexico and Peru. At this time, she again heard the call to live a consecrated life in community. 

Rosa discovered the SCCs through the most common way nowadays – the Internet.  She caught sight of the SCC website, and the joy of the Sisters, the charism of charitable works and love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, drew her to enter.
 
Lauren Wagner, of Allentown PA is the firstborn of two in her family. Sister attended Cathedral School (now St. John Vianney School) in Allentown. Lauren began thinking of becoming a Sister in seventh grade. While attending Allentown Central Catholic High School, Rev. Allen Hoffa, Chaplain (now parochial vicar of Guardian Angel Parish, Reading PA), brought groups of interested girls and teachers to visit Mallinckrodt Convent for the day on a yearly basis. No website was needed for Lauren; she saw the Sisters in “real time” and met young women from Allentown who had entered.  She “experienced the spirit of its founder, Blessed Pauline, firsthand”.
 
Rosa, now Sister Maria Pia and Lauren, now Sister Josephine, heeded the call to try a new way of life.  When asked by Sr. Mary Edward, “What do you ask from us?” they responded, “Drawn by God’s mercy, we have come here to experience your way of life . . . teach us to be one with you in heart and mind. Help us to live out the Gospel every day of our lives.”
 
Their hope for the future is that they continue to grow in love, to evangelize people for the spread of the Gospel and the charism of Blessed Pauline, and to pray that more young women respond to God’s call as a religious sister.  That would make for a great future for the Church and for the world!