April 28, 2016 Pages Inside This Special Section Are Filled with Mini-Profiles and Stories About Religious Jubilarians Marking S
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April 28, 2016 CATHOLIC NEW YORK • HONORING OUR JUBILARIANS 15 Serving Gladly CENTENNIAL CLOSE-UP—The Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary are marking their 100th anniversary as a religious congregation. The sisters moved to Harlem just seven years after the congregation’s inception in 1916 at the request of Car- dinal Patrick Hayes, the Archbishop of New York. The Franciscan Handmaids, one of the few orders of black sisters, are well known for their work in education and for feeding the needy. At right, a young student at St. Benedict’s Day Nursery in Harlem gives a high-fi ve to Sister Mary Adenubi, F.H.M. Below, Sister Gertrude Lilly Ihenacho, F.H.M., congregation minister, fourth from right in top row, gathers with fellow Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary. Pages inside this special section are fi lled with mini-profi les and stories about religious jubilarians marking signifi cant anniversaries this year. PHOTOS BY REGINA FLEMING 16 catholic new york • honoring our Jubilarians April 28, 2016 post office, development and trea- worker among the homeless in Seoul. for refugees in South Korea and Jubilarians sury departments, and in other roles. She also did pastoral work in Nepal. South Sudan, civilians in Vietnam She also served briefly in China and and, most recently, for the congrega- Maryknoll sisters, ossining Hawaii. sister Marjorie ann bush, M.M., tion as part of its Wellness Center 80 years a native of Staten Island, was an staff. sister Madeline Maria Dorsey, sister claire Murphy, M.M., a educator and Basic Christian M.M., a native of Brooklyn, served as native of Cambridge, Mass., served Community developer in China and sister Margaret M. Donovan, a nurse in Bolivia and nursing super- as an educator in Hawaii and the Taiwan for 28 years. She directed M.M., a native of the Bronx, is direc- visor in Sri Lanka, and was adminis- Marshall Islands, and as a dispensary the religious education and Rite of tor of the Maryknoll Mission Insti- trator of Queen of the World Hospi- worker in Kenya. She did pastoral Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) tute at Maryknoll. A missioner to tal in Kansas City, Mo. She also did work in Cloquet, Minn., and served programs at St. James Church, Tanzania, where she worked in com- nursing in Peru, and pastoral work in in the congregation’s development Manhattan, 1983-1985. She teaches munity development for 40 years, she El Salvador and Mexico. department. English as a Second Language to also served on the Maryknoll Sisters immigrants in Yonkers. Governing Board, 1983-1986. 75 years sister stephanie nakagawa, M.M., sister Marie ann lipetsky, M.M., of Seattle, is an educator who taught sister Mary t. connell, M.M., was sister loretta Frank, M.M., a na- a native of Clements, Minn., served in Hawaii for 14 years, and in Japan born in Northern Ireland and gradu- tive of Dickinson, N.D., was a mis- in China for 44 years, during which for 39 years. In 2001, she returned to ated from St. Brendan’s School, the sioner in Japan, where she served she taught religion and music, the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Ossin- Bronx, and St. Jean Baptiste High for 45 years, working as an editor, worked with the elderly and did ing, where she tends to the clothing School in Manhattan. She is on the researcher and instructor of English pastoral work in local parishes. She needs of sisters in the Maryknoll Mission Institute staff at Maryknoll. as a Second Language. She provides also served in the Philippines for Residential Care Unit. She formerly served in socio-eco- congregational services at Maryknoll six years, working as a librarian and nomic development in Korea and Sisters Center, Ossining. music teacher. 60 years administration at Maryknoll Nursing sister bernadette braun, M.M., a Home, Maryknoll. sister georgina gamarra, M.M., of sister Veronica Mary Martin, native of St. Gallen-Rossruti, Switzer- Lima, Peru, has taught and worked M.M., a native of Philadelphia, has land, is a social worker. She has spent sister Marie crowley, M.M., of with Basic Christian Communities in spent most of her religious life serv- most of her religious life in South Boston, is a registered nurse who Chile. She has worked in counseling ing at the Maryknoll Sisters Center Korea, serving as a caseworker and served in the United States Air Force and led healing retreats in Illinois in Ossining. She has served in its family counselor, as well as a pastoral before entering Maryknoll. She cared and Florida. So Others May Know the Redeemer’s Love by SISTER MOIRA Quinn, o.ss.r Before my profession, I wrote a poem entitled Little did I know that “Yes.” besides praying and Sister Moira Quinn, O.Ss.R., , now the prioress cooking for the com- of her community, was a hairdresser on Long Is- Mary said, “Yes. I am the handmaid of the munity, I would be land before she entered the Redemptoristine Nuns Lord, let it be done to me according to prioress, attending in- 25 years ago. Their mission is to pray that all may your word.” ternational Redempto- know the love God has for them in Christ the Re- And God became Incarnate in our Redeeming ristine meetings, facili- deemer. The Redemptoristines live with the Car- Lord. tating our senior sisters melites of Beacon. Celeste said, “Yes” to have been given, into assisted living and “My only begotten Son… to make you divine accompanying sisters y call to be a contemplative nun began in life… on their final journey while I was a hairdresser on Long Is- to be for the world a Viva Memoria.” to heaven. I discovered M land and had bought a summer house in You, my Sisters, said, “Yes” to “A cross…A kiss… new areas to share my upstate where I enjoyed the peaceful surround- Let your willing be an echo of Mine” creativity, such as writ- ing. There, I was inspired to write a novel about that He might really live in your hearts and His ing reflections for the the life of John the Baptist titled “Here I Am.” works be alive! community and our John’s life stirred in me a desire to give my all to Do you, “Fix your gaze upon Him associates, organizing Sister Moira Quinn, O.Ss.R. follow Jesus. that you might be radiant with joy, community feasts and I caught glimpses of what life as a contempla- so that My creatures might remember My celebrations, and updating our Facebook page. tive monastic would be like when I attended a eternal Love?” Contemplatives touch the whole world in so day program at the monastery in Esopus and met I say, “Yes.” many ways with our life of prayer, praises and Redemptoristines from around the world. Their intercession. Our contemplative monastic lives topic of discussion was the Constitutions and Early in my religious life I took as a motto, echo everyday lives while inviting all people to our Foundress, Blessed Maria Celeste Crosta- “JOY: Jesus, Others, You.” The joy of living in a say “Yes” to deepen their relationship with Je- rosa. The nuns were ordinary women who had community that prays, works and shares leisure sus so as “to be clear and radiant witnesses of given their treasure and talent for the glory of time together has helped me explore dimensions the love God has for each of us in Christ” (OSsR God. They gave me the courage to do the same. in my life I never dreamed of before entering. Constitution 5). April 28, 2016 catholic new york • honoring our Jubilarians 17 sister Marilyn Jean graf, M.M., of becoming a Maryknoll sister. She did sister Jeanne rancourt, M.M., school in Chicago; and in Hong Kong. Lemont, Ill., served as a teacher in social work in Peru and Bolivia, and of Woonsocket, R.I., worked with She did pastoral ministry and taught Guatemala and the Caroline Islands worked at a clinic in Mexico. She is alcoholics and drug addicts in Chile religious education in Fraser, Mich. of the South Pacific, and secretary to an active member of the sisters’ com- for 20 years. A registered nurse, she the bishop of the Udon Thani Dio- munity in Monrovia, Calif. also did community-based health 50 years cese in Thailand. She also served as care and administered a home sister cheryl allam, M.M., of secretary to the Maryknoll Sisters’ sister claudette laVerdiere, M.M., for abandoned elderly people in Detroit, is the administrator of Congregational Leadership Team. a native of Waterville, Maine, teaches Chile. She served two terms on the Rogers Library at the Maryknoll at Holy Spirit Seminary in Bangla- Maryknoll Sisters’ Congregational Sisters Center at Maryknoll. She sister helen graham, M.M., a na- desh. She also taught in Tanzania, Ke- Leadership Team. worked in Japan for nearly 20 tive of Brooklyn, is a theologian who nya and Myanmar. She served a term years as an editor, and also served taught on the university level in the on the Maryknoll Sisters’ Congrega- sister Jean snyder, M.M., of Read- with women’s groups, Alcoholics Philippines for nearly 50 years. She tional Leadership Team. She is author ing, Pa., worked as a medical technol- Anonymous and at a soup kitchen. has worked with barrio people and of “On the Threshold of the Future: ogist at Queen of the World Hospital, She also coordinated missions political detainees. She also con- The Life and Spirituality of Mother Kansas City, Mo., and in the Philip- project funding and development for ducted workshops and seminars in Mary Joseph Rogers.” pines.