At a special Community Sunday breakfast, Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity Community Director Sister Marlita Henseler bestowed words of congratulations to Sister Kathleen Murphy (Diocese of Madison) and Sister Linda Brandes (Diocese of Green Bay), celebrating 50 years of Religious Profession and to Sister Hannah Johnecheck (Diocese of Gaylord) on 25 years of living Consecrated Life. We share Sister Marlita’s comments here. In addition to our Sisters, family and other guests were present for the day making it a precious day to remember for all. Fr. James Murphy , brother of Sister Kathleen, presided at the afternoon liturgy. See photo gallery below post.
Good Morning, Sisters on this special Jubilee Day and Trinity Sunday. It is with great joy and gratitude that we begin this day of Jubilee with our celebrants, Sister Kathleen Murphy and Sister Linda Brandes, who have reached 50 years of profession, and with Sister Hannah Johnecheck, who celebrates 25 years of living poverty, chastity and obedience. How quickly the years have passed, but they have been filled with many blessings, and wonderful memories.
Sister Linda and Sister Kathleen, who chose as your group title, “Reflections of the Son”, you have strived to mirror Jesus in your ministries in community through these 50 years, and have witnessed to those whom you have served the image of the Lord in your caring and compassionate ways, and in your joy and peace. I am certain that Your Spouse would say: “Well done, good and faithful servants, for striving to reflect Me in your words and deeds.” May both of you continue to be that image of Jesus in the years ahead, and strive to deepen your person to being a true Relection of the Son whom you love and serve.
Sister Hannah, you selected “Handmaid of the Sacred Heart” as your title. A handmaid is one who attends to another. She pays close attention to the Beloved, who loves her infinitely and calls her to love others as He loves her. In your ministry of teaching the little ones, and in all your interactions with others, you have shared that love of the Sacred Heart and helped to lead them to know and love Jesus. May your 25 years celebration continue to inspire you to serve and attend to the needs of those you are called to minister to in caring, loving ways. As you continue to live poverty, chastity and obedience in the spirit of Francis, may you be faithful as His handmaid.
Our readings today for Mass for this Trinity Sunday are rich in meaning for your Jubilarians and for all of us. In the first reading from Exodus we encounter Moses receiving a special message from God: “The Lord is a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, rich in kindness and fidelity…” We have experienced in you, Jubilarians, just how kind and merciful our loving God has been in the past 25 and 50 years. It is with grateful hearts that you have tried to imitate those qualities, striving to be kind and merciful in your lives of service.
In both St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians and in John’s Gospel we are reminded anew that ” God so loved us that He gave us His only Son” and “to live in peace with one another.” Jubilarians, You have been faithful for 25 and 50 years, but as St. Francis reminds us “…up until now, we have done little or nothing, so let us begin.” So begin again each day to first, be grateful, and then to BEGIN AGAIN, that the Lord might continue to show Himself through you, just as He reflected the Father’s love and care.
Sisters, as we all join in congratulating our Jubilarians, may we also be inspired to be Reflections of the Son, and Handmaids of the Sacred Heart, continuing to live our vowed life faithfully. Thank You , Jubilarians, for being good examples to us, and for giving us the opportunity to again be grateful to God’s call to each of us. Congratulations and Blessings to ALL!
