I recently received an invitation that sadly I had to decline. August 6th was the date for Marlena Loughheed to make her Perpetual Profession of Faith as a Sister of Life, taking on the name of Sister Beata Victoria.  This wonderful expression of faith and God’s goodness occurred at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan was the Celebrant and Homilist; not bad company to keep.

I asked the Bride whether her memory deprived husband could strike out for the Big Apple, and I even invited her to join me, as I am sure Sr. Beata wouldn’t mind. The Cathedral certainly is big enough.  While Jennifer thought New York City might be fun, a place where she spent a year in the 1980s working with street kids, she felt such a trip was not in the cards now.  I have to keep reminding myself while I am semi-retired, she is still going full steam between her work as a sacramental coordinator and helping with our grandsons.  

According to The Sisters of Life website, they were founded by John Cardinal O’Connor, and they exist to “to mother the mothers of the unborn; to mother the unborn; to mother all those who are frail, all of those who are vulnerable, all those who are ill, all of those who are in danger of being put to death, all those whose lives the world considers useless. Our Lord says to each Sister of Life, 'Woman, behold your son. Behold your daughter.'”

Advertisement

When I pray my daily rosary, I have a particular fondness for the second luminous mystery, the wedding feast at Cana.  I imagine Jesus and Mary as guests at a wedding celebration, when the wine runs out.  I can almost hear the exchange when Mary tells her son ‘They have no wine’, and Jesus wonders ‘what has this to do with us?’; as he hadn’t yet begun his public ministry. Mary’s response is to tell the servers ‘Do whatever he tells you’, making it clear that she expects her son to act.

Advertisement

For some time, whether praying the Luminous mysteries or not, I have taken up the cause of vocations, and I remind our Lord in prayer, we have no wine, or more to the point, not enough vocations to religious life.  I usually go a step further, and in the spirit of Mother Mary, I add, “do something”.  I sometimes become discouraged by the scarcity of vocations in our Church because I believe the lack of young, enthusiastic, relatable nuns and priests is a worrisome sign of a troubled future.  Then along comes an invitation from a young woman who has said, ‘Yes’ to God, and invited me, someone she once knew, to the celebration.   

Sr. Beata included a handwritten note, where she reminded me when we both worked at the Archdiocese of Toronto, I would show up with my Rosary in hand.  Many years ago, I began the habit of praying the Rosary while I walked the streets of Toronto, on the way to the office.  One day I pulled out my Rosary and given I received no blow back, I just never stopped.  I viewed it as a simple, meaningful way to say my prayers, profess my love for the Lord, and witness to God’s goodness.

Sister Beata also thanked me for my willingness to share my journey of living with memory loss with readers of The Catholic Register.  When I next see the good Sister, I will explain writing occasional articles is my small way of participating in God’s saving work.  Then I will thank Sr. Beata for her faith and courage to commit to a lifetime of service, to those who are vulnerable and in need of care.

Advertisement

Please join me in praying for The Sisters of Life and in particular for three women making their Perpetual Profession on August 6th; Sister Leonie Therese, Sister Maria Augustine, and my friend, Sister Beata Victoria.  Let us pray also for the Sisters of Life and all those committing to a lifetime of service through religious life.  May God bless them and their respective ministries.  

McAvoy is co-author with his wife, Jennifer, of the book “Faith, Love and Loss; Sustaining Hope amid Memory Loss and the Storms of Life”, published by Novalis