Celebrating the Circle of Life Here and Hereafter

I want to share with you some of the events we have been living as a Pauline Family during these weeks. On July 16th, one of our Sisters, Sister Gabriella (Violet) Tubick passed away. Sister had received the anointing of the sick and the sacrament of reconciliation just a day before. At 3:30 pm the next day, the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Sister was summoned by the Divine Master to enter her eternal life. Because Sister's closest relative, a Notre Dame missionary Sister was actually in flight that day, headed from Uganda to California, Sister Gabriella's funeral rites were delayed. Today the official wake and vigil service will take place in our Jamaica Plain, Boston Chapel. One of our Pauline priests happened to be visiting us on July 16th. He blessed Sister's body and prayed with the Sisters for the repose of the soul of Sister Gabriella. On Monday another Pauline priest, Father Goonan will preside at the funeral Mass and internment of Sister Gabriella.

Saturday morning, four of our Sisters celebrated Jubilees of religious profession. Sister Mary Augusta achieved 75 years of vowed life; Sister Mary Agnes celebrates 60 years since her first vows; and Sister Mary Jerome and Sister Hosea Marie are the young Silver Jubilarians. These milestones deserve to be celebrated. yesterday's Mass and the dinner following were festive and brimming with joy on the part of the Sisters and their families and friends. Father Michael Goonan, an Australian now transplanted in the USA, celebrated the Jubilee Mass. Along with two Pauline brothers, Fr. Goonan's presence as a member of the Society of St. Paul brought us more closely together as a truly Pauline Family. Remarkably, Father Goonan had met Sister Gabriella when she was assigned to our Sydney, Australia community in the 1970's. Sister had previously served in Pakistan. As Father shared with us at lunch today, he never thought that he would one day be the main celebrant at Sister's funeral 43 years later.

Our Mass this morning concluded with the entrance into Novitiate of three young women who spent two years in formation as postulants in our St. Louis community. Putri originally from Indonesia; Julie from Washington state; and Danielle from Michigan made their decisive step towards becoming professed Daughters of St. Paul. During another two years they will study our Pauline life and charism more deeply. They will be given more time for contemplation and study. They also will participate in various phases of our Pauline mission. During their second year of Novitiate these young women will spend about five months living, working and praying in one of our smaller communities. This experience will be a foretaste of what they may be experiencing for a good part of their future. As a member of our large Boston community, I am happy to accompany these young women--at least by my presence--as they grow into becoming full fledged Sisters. On August 15, two other young women, Sisters Carly and Chelsea, will pronounce vows for the first time as Daughters of St. Paul. Although separated by time from each other, each of these women share in the same Pauline life. All have gone through, or one day will mark the milestones that Sister Gabriella achieved. With love for and trust in Jesus our Master, we all want to reach the goal which Sister Gabriella and many other Sisters of our USA/English Speaking Canada Province have reached. As St. Paul tells us the goal is "Life on high with Jesus Christ." I ask your prayers for the repose of the soul of Sister Gabriella. Pray too for our Jubilarians that they may continue in their lives of service to Christ and the Church; and pray for our young women in formation. We are blessed to have novices, postulants and junior professed Sisters with temporary,(not yet final) vows. "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest!" To find out more about the Pauline Family check out the trailer of the DVD/movie on Blessed Alberione: http://mediaapostle.com/ You can also view some events and Sisters at www.daughtersofstpaul.com Have a very blessed final week of July. Be assured of my prayers for all those who ready my blog.