BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
On Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, women religious from around the Diocese of Owensboro gathered with Bishop William F. Medley at St. Martin Parish in Rome to honor several of their own who were celebrating jubilees of religious life.
Those honored that day were Sr. Cecelia Joseph Olinger, OSU, and Sr. Clara Reid, OSU, both of whom were celebrating 60 years of religious life, as well as Sr. Alicia Coomes, OSU; Sr. Mary McDermott, OSU; and Sr. Rebecca White, OSU, all of whom celebrated 40 years. Sr. Marie Montgomery, OSU, was also honored that day for her 75 years of religious life, but was unable to attend the celebration.
The celebration, which took place in the form of a prayer service, included several scripture readings and hymns, including “Here I Am Lord” by Dan Schutte. Bishop Medley offered a homily after a reading of the Gospel of Matthew 28:16-20.
“It is a privilege and a joy to be here and celebrate with the religious of our diocese,” said Bishop Medley.
The bishop said that it was appropriate for the celebration to take place that day, which coincided with the feast of Sts. John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, and Companions, Jesuit missionaries who were martyred in North America in the 1600s.
Bishop Medley connected the feast day with the mission given to all members of religious life: “Go to the ends of the earth.”
Originally printed in the November 2019 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
Copyright © 2019 Diocese of Owensboro/The Western Kentucky Catholic