Covington diocese to celebrate
a ‘Year of Women Religious’
Bishop Roger Foys has announced a “Year of Women Religious,” a year-long celebration of the vocation and contributions of women religious, to be observed in the Diocese of Covington, Ky.
The opening ceremony for the celebration will be at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 25 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington. A reception will be held at the nearby Covington Latin School following the Mass.
Representatives of the five women religious orders serving the diocese are expected to attend the celebration, which is also open to all who would care to attend.
In his letter announcing the Year of Women Religious, Bishop Foys said that since the diocese’s founding in 1853, “the faithful dedication and charisms of the many congregations and orders of Sisters who have served our diocese has resulted in the establishment of schools, orphanages, a hospital, a college, and nursing and adult care centers.
“These ministries were administered and staffed by the sisters,” he wrote. “Women religious continue to be a vital part of our ministry to God’s people. Today women religious still serve in many of the apostolates begun in those early days of our diocese as well as in new apostolates in our parishes and other institutions.
Currently five mother and provincial houses of sisters are established in the Diocese of Covington. They are the Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburg, the Congregation of the Sisters of Diving Providence, the Passionist Sisters, the Sisters of Notre Dame, and the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker.
“We thank them for their continued presence in our diocese and for the contributions and sacrifices they continue to make for the care and welfare of our people,” Bishop Foys said. “Each successive bishop, including myself, has relied on these Sisters and Sisters from many other congregations to assist in answering the needs of the Diocese of Covington. I look forward with great anticipation to this Year of Women Religious and ask you to join me in praying for and thanking those who work so selflessly for our needs as the bridesmaids of Jesus Christ.”
