In an intimate Mass and quiet encounters with several residents, Bishop Timothy Senior brought blessings to St. Anne’s Retirement Community on Wednesday morning, June 11, bringing the peace of Christ and a reaffirming message of vocations to those he encountered.
In the sun-splashed chapel, more than a dozen residents gathered with administrators, healthcare professionals and several Sisters of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, whose order sponsors St. Anne’s Retirement Community. Father Norman Hohenwarter, chaplain, joined the bishop at the altar.
In his homily, Bishop Senior told the congregation that the Feast of St. Barnabas, which the Church was celebrating that day, gives them pause to reflect on their own vocation in life. St. Barnabas was among the missionaries spreading the Good News in the early Church.
“We heard all throughout the Easter season in the Acts of the Apostles about how rapidly the Church grew and how dedicated they were to the mission for which they were set apart. The celebration on the feast of St. Barnabas today gives us an opportunity to reflect on God’s call in each one of our lives,” the bishop said. “He calls us to a unique purpose that evolves over time, depending on the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Nevertheless, there is a unique purpose for which we draw breath.”
“What is the purpose for which God has set you apart?” he posed. “As clergy, we know that involves different ministries we’re assigned to. For consecrated religious, we know God set you apart for different missions in different places. It’s the same for those who are married or called to the single life. Our vocations are our work, the commitments we make to our lives. We also think of the unique call for those who are the staff here at St. Anne’s and the wonderful gift and charism of working in healthcare, especially caring for the elderly and those who are most vulnerable. Wherever God places us, the call never goes away.”
Bishop Senior greeted members of the congregation after Mass before visiting Sister Jean Marie, ASC, who is celebrating her 80th Jubilee this year. Now 99 years old, Sister Jean Marie, a native of York, entered the novitiate in Columbia. The Adorers of the Blood of Christ are celebrating the 100th anniversary of their arrival in Columbia this year.
As he made his way through the hallways and past communal areas, Bishop Senior gave impromptu blessings to residents and staff, and offered blessings to several individuals, including a 100-year-old daily Mass attendant.
Located in a pastoral setting along Route 462 in Lancaster County, St. Anne’s Retirement Community has offered compassionate care services since 1928. The expansive campus offers skilled care, personal care, memory care, rehabilitation therapy and independent living, all while continuing the healing ministry of Jesus in the spirit of St. Maria De Mattias, foundress of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ.
(Photos by Jen Reed, The Catholic Witness.)
By Jen Reed, The Catholic Witness
