Catholic News Service and Record Staff
The Archdiocese of Louisville honored dozens of men and women religious Sunday, Feb. 2, at the annual World Day for Consecrated Life Mass, held at Holy Trinity Church in St. Matthews.
They were among thousands of religious who were honored around the world on the special Sunday.
In Rome, Pope Francis, a Jesuit, lauded the contributions of those who live consecrated lives, noting a church without religious sisters would be “unthinkable.”
“Every consecrated person is a gift to the people of God on pilgrimage,” he said, reciting the Angelus with visitors in St. Peter’s Square. The pope had just finished celebrating Mass for the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, which the church marks as the World Day for Consecrated Life.
“There is such a great need for their presence, which reinforces and renews the commitment to spreading the Gospel, Christian education, charity for the neediest, contemplative prayer, the human and spiritual formation of the young and families, and the commitment to justice and peace in the human family,” the pope said.
Straying from his prepared text, Pope Francis told people gathered in the square: “Think what would happen if there weren’t any sisters, if there weren’t any sisters in the hospitals, no sisters in the missions, no sisters in the schools. Think what the church would be like without sisters — no, that’s unthinkable.”
Consecrated life is a gift that moves the church forward, he said.
“These women who consecrate their lives to carrying forward the message of Jesus — they’re great,” he added.
Pope Francis asked all Catholics to pray “that many young people would respond ‘yes’ to the Lord when he calls them to consecrate themselves totally to him.”
In the Archdiocese of Louisville, about 40 jubilarians attended the afternoon Mass, despite an impending winter storm. The celebration is sponsored each year by the archdiocese’s Vocation Office.
Following is a list provided by the Vocation Office of men and women celebrating jubilees this year.
80 years — Sister Margaret Rose Knoll, S.L.; Sister Mary Prisca Pfeffer, R.S.M.; Sister Charlotte Marie Schwartz, S.L.; Sister Mary Vincent Strittmatter, O.S.U.
75 years — Sister Genevieve Cavanaugh, S.L.; Sister Jeanette Marie Donnelly, S.L.; Sister Virginia Ann Lachenmann, S.C.N.; Sister M. Macrina Stermec, O.S.U.; Sister Charles Maureen Walker, S.L.
70 years — Sister Rose Ann Born, O.S.U.; Sister Mary Patricia Brennan, S.C.N.; Sister Mary Judith Brown, S.L.; Sister Mary Jean Durbin, R.S.M.; Sister Mary Katherine Hammett, S.L.; Father Richard Johnson, C.P.; Father Emmet Linden, C.P.; Sister Veronica Marie Schneider, S.L.; Sister Kathleen Tighe, S.L.; Sister Mary Wedding, S.C.N.; Sister Joseph Marita Wheatley, S.C.N.; Sister Rachel Willett, S.C.N.
60 years — Sister Regina Atkins, S.C.N.; Sister Lucille Cosby, S.C.N.; Sister Julia Davis, O.S.U.; Sister Clara Fehringer, O.S.U.; Sister Joan Marie Hill, O.P.; Brother Cornelius Hubbuch, C.F.X.; Sister Rosemarie Kirwan, S.C.N.; Sister Rose Mary Maguire, S.C.N.; Sister Marilyn Mueller, O.S.U.; Sister Teresa Rose Nabholz, S.C.N.; Sister Catherine Nix, S.C.N.; Sister Marie Ellen O’Bryan, R.S.M.; Sister Joyce Ogden, R.S.M.; Sister Rose Eleanor Perry, S.C.N.; Sister Margaret Quayhagen, S.L.; Sister Nancy Rioux, O.P.; Sister Lorraine Ryan, O.P.; Sister Agnes Ann Schum, S.L.; Sister Eleanor Tierney, O.P.; Sister Patricia Ann Thompson, O.S.U.; Sister Louise Marie Willenbrink, O.S.U.; Sister Eleanor Willett, S.C.N.
50 years — Sister Rosemarie Chase, S.C.N.; Sister Bridgid Clifford, S.C.N.; Sister Maureen Daugherty, S.C.N.; Sister Luisa Derouen, O.P.; Sister Mary Louise Edwards, O.P.; Sister Rochelle Marie Ernst, S.C.N.; Sister Charlene Jacobs, S.C.N.; Sister Joy Jensen, S.L.; Sister Karla Marie Kaelin, O.S.U.M.S.J.; Sister Jeanne Moore, O.P.; Sister Judith Rice, O.S.U.; Sister Joan Mary Riedley, O.S.U.M.S.J.; Sister Antoinette Severin, S.C.N.; Sister Mary Elizabeth Thompson, O.P.; Brother Brian Uetter, C.F.X.
25 years — Father David Colhour, C.P.; Sister Anita Louise Lowe, O.S.B.
