This year 208 religious sisters, four religious brothers and 31 religious priests celebrated the anniversary of 25 years or more in their congregations at the annual religious jubilarian Mass Sunday, Sept. 7 at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. Archbishop Charles Chaput was the main celebrant for the Mass.
The 243 jubilarians represented a combined 14,100 years of consecrated life. Included in this year’s honorees were more than 45 religious men and women who have served 70 years or more.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for Consecrated Life sponsored the Mass and a reception that followed. (Photos by Sarah Webb)
Sr. Marian Anne Smith I.H.M. and Sr. Ellen Thomas I.H.M sing during mass.
Homily
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Sisters celebrating milestone anniversaries bring up the offertory.
Sr. Elaine Buckley R.S.M., 75 years, is all smiles during mass.
Sr. Diane Marie Wolf SSJ, 50 years, prays during mass.
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Religious sisters pray together during mass.
Archbishop Chaput gives communion to Sr. Therese Benedict McGuire SSJ who is celebrating 70 years.
IHM sisters Rita Devine, Kathleen Looby and Ellen Thomas all celebrating 50 years.
After mass the religious enjoyed a lunch on the patio of the archdiocesan building.
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Sister Mary Elaine RSM taught me Cardinal Dougherty HS.
she was the first teacher I ever had that made me feel that I was special. Thank you so much.
Is it possible to at least publish the names of all the jubilarians, and their respective congregations?
Thank you.
It might seem to you to be a simple thing, but it is a matter of too big a scale for too few resources. Here is what it would take, just to get the names: Someone at CatholicPhilly.com, from our staff of four, would have to contact every religious order in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. That is 28 men’s congregations and 53 women’s congregations. Then all those names and their orders must be organized, entered into our system and edited for consistency. Experience shows that much of the information does not come in electronically but must be typed in here. We simply do not have the personnel for a project on that scale. It goes without saying that neither do we have the capacity to publish individual biographical material and photos, as in past, when we had adequate staff resources. Times change, and we must adjust to them.