Remembering ‘Sister’

Sisters Dorothy Feehan (Agnes Cecile) (l.) and Therese Jacobs (Therese Carmelle) enjoy a ride to the cemetery on the golf cart “shuttle,” driven by Kyle Collins, donor relations representative for the Sisters of Charity, BVM.

Friends and family of the Sisters of Charity, BVM gathered on Sunday, May 22, for the annual Memorial Mass at Mount Carmel in Dubuque, Iowa. Nearly 100 guests traveled from Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin to attend.

“Today we remember BVMs who hold a special place in our lives and hearts,” President Teri Hadro reflected in her greeting, noting the names of 22 BVMs who have died since last year’s Memorial Mass. “We remember that Sister often was the one to bring God to our consciousness,” she shared. “When Sister believed in us, encouraged us, laughed at our jokes, cried with our pain, rejoiced in our successes, it wasn’t hard to imagine that maybe God was doing that too and we came to understand that we should offer similar expressions of love to others.”

Gathering with BVMs for the commemorative liturgy, dinner, and visit to the cemetery enabled guests to honor and share memories of their special sisters, coming together as a circle of friends and members of the larger church community.

For many, it was their first time attending the Memorial Mass as they came to pay tribute to a sister. The warm, sunny day kept golf cart drivers busy shuttling guests and BVMs to the cemetery, where many left mementos at the graves and had their pictures taken in remembrance of their visit.

“The Memorial Mass continues to be a special event for both our sisters and many family and friends that attend,” said Andy Schroeder, development director for the Sisters of Charity, BVM. “The sisters we lost this year are sadly missed but fondly remembered. We were blessed to have this day together to share stories about our loved ones.”