Another Family to Love: Entering the BVM Congregation 70 Years Ago
Josette Kelly, BVM (r.) with her father Joseph, mother Mary Josephine, and sister Mary J. (Hortense) Kelly, BVM.
Today is a day to remember.
It is the Feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple, also known as the Purification of Mary, which was celebrated by my parents’ families in Ireland as a holy day of obligation.
It was considered the end of the Christmas season. Consequently, decorations in our home stayed up until that day.
Seventy years ago, on Feb. 2, 1951, I left that home for a new one. With 12 others— including Helen Emerson and Helen Thompson—it was my choice of the two entrance days to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
I would soon hear, “Your name in religion will be Sister Mary Josette.”
My sister Mary chose to enter on Sept. 8, 1933, and became Sister Mary Hortense. She later exercised the freedom to resume her name, Mary J. (J for Josephine) Kelly, after our mother. I greatly appreciate being given a form of the name of our father Joseph.
Those who entered in February became postulants while the previous, larger set (in our case 66) was still in the postulate. They would receive the habit, albeit with a white veil, on March 19.
The excitement, encouragement, helpfulness, solicitude, and kindness of the not-always-younger set members received from those already benefitting from Sister Mary Catherine Ann’s motherly supervision as postulant mistress are indescribably memorable.
Our BVM lives and ministries followed. Now we have retired to the place where those joyful friendships and the formation of our BVM family occurred. We are enjoying each other again with grateful hearts.
Have you, too, been blessed with the loving experience of multiple families?
Thanks for sharing, Josette – what great memories you have for this day.
Feb. 2 has always been a significant day for celebrations for me too – Reception, Annual Vows and Final Vows…and I’m feeling blessed all the time. Vicki
Oh, Josette, thank you for this heart-warming sharing. And how grateful I am to have shared a few of those later years with you in our Colorado cluster. Your ever thoughtful, caring, generous and compassionate presence were and are a blessing.
Open your heart now to receive all the blessings that those who love you are wishing for you this day. Love, peace, Betty V
Dear, Thank you for including your parents and sister on this jubilee day. They are indeed a part of it. I knew your sister at OLA, Clinton and she was well-loved. Congratulations to the Kelly family.
Dear Josette, what a lovely reflection. Congratulations on your 70th Jubilee. This feast is one of my favorites: 60 years ago I wrote my letter asking to be admitted into the Congregation, followed by reception. 1st vows…final vows! Our Set Members of 1961 are gathering on ZOOM this afternoon.
I’m so grateful to have BVMs as my 2nd family & Circle of Friends.
Irene Lukefahr
Congratulations, Josette! How fitting that your reflection names your two families: the Kelly family in Sterling, IL and the BVM family in Dubuque and multiple places through nearly two centuries. I remember Kyran Shea and your sister Mary (Hortense) in Des Moines talking about your novitiate and your parents. It was a joy living with you at Clarke. I look forward to encounters with you at Mt. Carmel Bluffs when restrictions aren’t needed.
When I look at the year you entered and the year Mary entered, I see that she was eighteen years older than you. It must have been hard for her, with her tender heart, to leave her baby sister. When I entered in 1958, my sister Cathy was eighteen months old and I missed her growing up. She never remembers me being at home. Good news is that in later years we have grown very close and I tell her stories about when she was a baby. We all fought to give her her bottle (so we could sit in the TV room and watch the tube.) When Mary was part of our team for our Special Adults, I got to know her and admired her so. She loved our people, even the most limited, and could see the face of Jesus in them. Thanks for your story and the picture of the two of you with your Mom.
With love,
Monica
Dear Josette, Congratulations! I surely enjoyed this picture of your parents, you and Hortense. It reminded me of lasting memories of my long train trip to my first mission in San Francisco with Hortense. She was mentoring me. She taught me to say her name like a sneeze. Lots of fun and laughs, Marie Corr
Thank you Josette for sharing your precious family and life as a BVM. I was gifted to have been taught by both you and your sister, Sr. Hortense.
Thanks Josette, for such a lovely memory shared. I thank God for you and all BVMs!
Happy Jubilee Year! I will always remember the arrival of our “little set” into the larger group that came five months earlier! You will always be a part of the memories of those days! Thank you for your beautiful sharing than and now! Lovingly, Mary Frances