GREENVILLE — As parishes around the world celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, one local parish provided the setting for the diocese to honor those who have devoted their entire lives to Christ through the profession of the evangelical counsels.
Hundreds gathered as the Most Rev. Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., traveled to St. Philip’s Church in Greenville after being invited to honor and bless a handful of the area’s men and women religious who are celebrating a jubilee, a milestone anniversary since their ordination or consecration.
Dozens of religious poured in from religious orders to receive their blessings. Following the homily, all those in the congregation who are consecrated stood and renewed their religious vows.
In his homily, Bishop Lewandowski reflected on some of the great experiences he’s had with the religious who shaped who he is today, focusing on the religious sisters who worked at his Catholic school as a child. While he loved them all for different reasons, he said he formed a true bond with Sister St. Martin. Bishop Lewandowski was having trouble with his reading skills, and she helped him through it by having him recognize “patterns” in different words.
“She stayed close to me and she gave me encouragement,” the bishop said. “In every moment, she just affirmed my efforts in all that I was doing, especially in reading. And when were in reading classes, she would stand by my desk and she would point out words and she’d say, ‘Where did you see that before?’”
Bishop Lewandowski went on to explain that when we come to know God, we start to notice patterns in the way God speaks to us, which is how our human minds can at least begin to understand the Trinity. He also said that, modeled after the Holy Trinity, it’s no coincidence that the religious take a threefold vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Several religious sisters were in the congregation, including orders of religious sisters were in the congregation, including Sr. Daisy Kollamparampil, FMH, a teacher at St. Rocco School in Johnston.
Sr. Daisy is celebrating her 35th anniversary of profession in the Daughters of Our Lady of the Garden, a teaching order. She currently teaches second grade, though she’s taught a few other grades as well. She says students always make her laugh with their playful minds and incessant questions. Sometimes she gets questions about what her religious life is like, too.
“They’ve asked me what I eat, what I do when I don’t eat, or ‘Do you go to sleep like this?’” she said as she pointed to her habit.
Sister Daisy is originally from India, and she crossed paths with many of religious sisters growing up. She knew early on that she wanted to strive for holiness like them.
“When I was in second grade, I wanted to be a sister,” she said. “I never, ever, after all these years, regretted it.”
Sister Daisy’s religious congregation was inspired by a Marian apparition in 1610. A man named Sebastian Descalzo saw Our Lady near an image of Mary painted on the wall of a garden in Chiavari, Italy. The Bishop of Bobbio later approved the formation of the formed and named the congregation.
The rest of the jubilarians included Br. John Herbert, SC, who’s celebrating an impressive 70 years in religious life; Sr. Noreen Murray, FMM, and Fr. Tom McCreesh, O.P., are both celebrating 60 years; Sr. Nancy Cabral, FMM, celebrating 40 years; and 30 years for Sister Marizza Manicap, FAS, who’s celebrating 30 years.
“Even though we are small in numbers as religious in our diocese, your witness is great,” Bishop Lewandowski said.
“You, in your religious labor, are very much like a diamond in the hands of the Trinity. And multifaceted as that diamond is, it sparkles with beauty, with your gifts, with your ministry, with your apostolates, and with your service to the Church. In the diversity that you are, we find the beauty of eternity. Thank you. Thank you for your many years of consecrated life.”
