By Ryan Blessing
The Daughters of the Holy Spirit celebrated a combined total of 855 years of service by 16 Jubilarians at a special Mass on June 2 at the St. Joseph Church in Willimantic.
Six of the Jubilarians marked anniversaries of 70 years with the DHS. Two Daughters celebrate 65 years, three marked 60 years and five Associates are in their 25th year.
“All of you as Jubilarians, whether you are celebrating 70 years, 65 or 60 years of consecrated life, have demonstrated tremendous love for the Lord and His people,” the Most Reverend Michael R. Cote, D.D., Bishop of Norwich, who celebrated the Mass, said.
The Daughters of the Holy Spirit is an international religious congregation that is designated as a spiritual family. It includes Apostolic Religious, Consecrated Seculars and Associate Members who share the same heritage and charism but who live it out according to each branch’s particular life situation.
“With our Jubilarians, we are grateful to our God for calling them to a life of love and service as sisters, associates and consecrated seculars,” Sister Gertrude Lanouette, Provincial, said. “We are grateful to them for responding so generously to this calling, and for their dedicated service of 855 years to God’s people in all corners of our congregation.”
“This is a day of memories, a day of going back,” Father Laurence LaPointe, homilist and concelebrant, said.
He compared the DHS ministry to that of a garden of flowers. The ministry has planted seeds of vocations, insight and spiritual goals, “that have come to full flower and fruit.”
The Daughters also took part in a renewal of vows of “poverty, celibacy and obedience in the Congregation and according to the Rule of Life of the Daughters of the Holy Spirit.”
Associates, as well, renewed their covenant with the congregation. Gifts of the offertory procession included the DHS Candle, Rule of Life, Statutes of the Consecrated Seculars, and roses to represent the deceased in each group.
To see a photo gallery from the DHS Mass, click this link or the photo above