Dick Clark and Archbishop Perez Cutting the Ribbon
St. John the Baptist’s mission in life was to prepare the way of the Lord. Similarly, we could say that our vocation as Little Sisters of the Poor is to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming into the lives of the elderly. For some, this means becoming reconnected with Jesus by returning to the practice of the faith after many years away from the Church. For others, it is a matter of the Lord’s personal coming to take them to himself at the hour of death. Our practice of keeping vigil with the dying is the highest expression of our vocation and the most spiritually intense task in our mission of hospitality.
The feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist was an apt day, therefore, to celebrate the completion of Holy Family Home’s reconstruction project. Archbishop Nelson Perez and several priest-friends of the Home joined enough Little Sisters, Residents, families, friends and benefactors to fill the chapel to overflowing for a rededication Mass on Tuesday, June 24.
Before Mass began, Mother Provincial Alice Marie Monica thanked God and all those who had made this project possible, from the realization in 2019 of the necessity of reconstructing the home to meet current life safety code requirements, through the years of the pandemic when progress nearly ground to a halt, to the completion of each stage of the construction during the last three years.
Reverend Dennis Gill, rector of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul and an expert in liturgy, organized the Mass and served as master of ceremonies. The Cathedral Schola assured the music, with pieces drawn from a variety of eras and styles. One piece, sung during the offertory procession, was especially delightful. “This is the Record of John,” by Orlando Gibbons, a sixteenth century British composer, is an example of the polyphonic madrigal singing of the Renaissance. In the song, the question, “Who art thou?” is repeatedly asked of St. John and he describes himself in different ways, insisting, “I am not the Christ … I am the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness.”
In his homily Archbishop Perez spoke about Saint Jeanne Jugan’s confidence that everything is possible with God, and of the universal need for a home, a place where we belong and are loved. He also spoke of St. John’s role as the one who prepared the way for the Lord, and of how we all have John the Baptist figures in our lives.
Just prior to the end of Mass, Archbishop Perez asked all the Little Sisters to come forward for photos; he did the same for the major donors and board members. After the recessional hymn as many people as possible gathered at the front door for the official ribbon cutting ceremony. This ceremony was expedited due to the extreme heat.
It was fitting that Dick Clark, Campaign co-chair with his wife, Angela, were part of the day’s celebration. He and his wife have become generous friends and trusted advisors of the Home. Everyone applauded when Dick cut the ribbon. He and his wife will return to Holy Family next week for a luncheon with the community to celebrate this great milestone.
After Mass and the ribbon cutting, everyone enjoyed a reception provided by longtime friends Captain Chucky’s Crab Cake Company.
Tours were offered for those who wished to see the various areas of the Home. As with any major project, there are still a few areas in need of finishing touches, but the Resident areas and convent are all complete and providing the Residents and Little Sisters with all the comforts of home. The new Home accommodates fifteen Little Sisters and fifty Residents in apartments and a care unit.
