“It’s Jesus’ Jubilee!” Father Mark Cregan, CSC explained in his homily on June 27, 2024 that Sr. Emmanuel Maria of the Eucharist had one request when she asked him to celebrate her Silver Jubilee Mass: “Please don’t talk about me. Focus on the beauty of our vocation as Little Sisters of the Poor. After all, it’s Jesus’ Jubilee!” Father Mark agreed. Yes, it was Jesus who directed her exceptional journey from her desire after high school to be a nun, even before she was a Catholic, to this day. It was Jesus who called and consecrated Sr. Emmanuel on June 19, 1999. It was Jesus who has kept her for the past 25 years. It is Jesus, the cause of our jubilee joy today!
Father Mark always marvels at the multicultural richness of our Congregation. Sr. Emmanuel and her two sisters and a cousin attended the celebration. He also remarked a unique feature of Sr. Emmanuel’s Silver Jubilee – it was that it was taking place in the very Chapel where she made her first profession 25 years ago. Due to the building project in Philadelphia, where Sr. Emmanuel is currently missioned, there was no room in the little temporary chapel there to allow family, friends, and nearby Little Sisters to assemble to mark this event. The happy result was that it was transferred to Queens Novitiate.
Another bit of novelty on this occasion was the “Opening” the night before. Sr. Emmanuel did not want to give extra work to anyone, so she herself prepared the Novitiate Community Room, “Our Lady of Joy,” with her own handmade artistic decorations depicting her love for the Lamb of God, the Holy Eucharist, Our Lady, and Butterflies. Then, to divert attention away from herself, she came up with a “game.” She distributed antiphons from the Divine Office to be sung and a saying of St. Jeanne Jugan to be read by each Little Sister attending. With delightful enthusiasm, she animated full participation.
Sure, there were inconveniences in this long-distance celebration, but neither displacement, nor postponement, nothing could dampen the joy of Jesus’ Jubilee!
