This year’s jubilarians have spent a combined 205 years in
service to God. Years of teaching schoolchildren, ministering
to the homeless and caring for parishioners. Years following
God’s call in various states and foreign lands. In spite of
the challenges they faced over the years, the sisters said
“yes” to God all over again when they renewed their vows at
the jubilee celebration.
Dozens of sisters celebrated along with the jubilarians at a
May 18 Mass celebrated by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde at
Marymount University chapel in Arlington. The three
jubilarians present – Sister of Our Lady of La Sallette
Aniliza Juan and Sisters, Servant of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary Janice Thérèse Urbanec and Anne Marie
Markoe – wore boutonnieres, and served as lector and gift
bearers. The fourth, Benedictine Sister Anita Sherwood, who
marks her 80th jubilee this year, was unable to attend.
The reading from Songs of Songs was a tribute to the loving
relationship between a bride and bridegroom. The sisters all
joyfully sang the psalm: “The bridegroom is here, let us go
out and meet Christ the Lord.”
In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, Bishop Loverde encouraged the
women to be signs of Christ’s everlasting mercy, just as
their own vocations were a sign of His mercy working in their
lives.
“The vocation or call not only to be a disciple, but a
disciple invited into a unique bond with Jesus Christ, is
brimming over with divine mercy,” said Bishop Loverde. “God
destined that each one of you dear jubilarians would be a
spouse to his only Son, Jesus. His love and mercy toward you
endures forever.”
For Sister Aniliza, celebrating her 25 years of commitment to
the religious life was an “amazing grace.” She grew up in the
Philippines and was a sister there until 2012, when she moved
to the Unites States and began working at Christ House in
Alexandria.
Her only regret is that her mother wasn’t able to be there.
“God planted the seed (of my vocation), but she watered it,”
said Sister Aniliza. “This is my first time at a mission
… but it’s always on His plan and I thank God for
this.”
Di Mauro can be reached at [email protected] or on
Twitter @zoeydimauro.
