Honoring religious Sisters celebrating milestone anniversaries of their final vows, the Diocesan Office for Clergy and Religious Life hosted a Mass, speaker and luncheon on November 20 at the Diocesan Center in Harrisburg. The gathering recognized Sisters who celebrated their anniversaries this year and last year, as they were unable to gather for last year’s event due to health concerns surrounding the pandemic.
Bishop Ronald Gainer and Father William Forrey, Secretary for Clergy and Religious, concelebrated Mass for the Sisters who attended the gathering, which took place five days before Thanksgiving.
“It is the season of Thanksgiving in the secular world, but, of course, in the Church world, it is always the season of Thanksgiving – especially so in our Catholic faith and our devotion to the Eucharist, which means ‘thanksgiving,’” the bishop told the jubilarians in his homily. “You took the giant leap to say yes to Our Lord many years ago; we thank you for that yes today.”
“It is not just about all the years of dedicated service you have given to the Church and your communities, but the fidelity you have shown with holiness,” he said of their anniversaries.
Congratulations to the following jubilarians, whose names were provided by the Office for Clergy and Religious Life as marking special anniversaries:
25 Years
Sister Mary Vu, SCC
35 Years
Sister Mary F. Altavilla, RGS
Sister Patricia M. Barnette, RGS
Mother Stella Marie of Jesus, OCD
45 Years
Sister Carol Ann Terlicher, SSCM
Sister M. Carol Therese, SSCM
50 Years
Sister Irene M. Gaydos, SSCM
Sister Jean M. Holup, SSCM
Sister Loretta M. Hrubec, SSCM
Sister Eileen McGowan, DM
Sister JoAnn Siesko, DM
Sister Rita Smith, SSJ
Sister Kathleen White, SSJ
(Photos by Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness.)
By Jen Reed, The Catholic Witness
55 Years
Sister Judith Tarozzi, DM
60 Years
Sister Denise Fallat, SSCM
Sister Anne L. Freed, SSJ
Sister M. Christopher Godlewski, SSCM
Sister Bernice Marie, SSCM
Sister Carol Marie Walsh, SSCM
65 Years
Sister Donna Ivanko, SSCM
Sister Gloria Kascak, SSCM
Sister Anne Meadowcroft, ASC
70 Years
Sister M. Jacqueline, SSCM
Sister Colette Tenley, ASC
