On Sunday, May 18, 2008, I had the distinct honor of presiding at the Eucharistic Celebration honoring eight Sisters of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary at the RSHM Conference Center in Montebello, CA.

The Sisters of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary were founded by Fr. Jean Gailhac in Béziers, France, in 1849. I have known many of the Sisters through my years at Loyola Marymount Unversity as an undergraduate student and much later as a member of LMU Campus Ministry and of LMU Student Affairs. The Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary are one of the sponsoring religious communites of LMU along with the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange.

Among the jubilarians honored were: Sr. Marguerite McLoughlin, RSHM (70 years); Sr. Frances Gussenhoven, RSHM (60 years); Sr. Antoinette Tripaldi, RSHM (60 years); Sr. Elena Camarillio, RSHM (50 years); Sr. Teresita Carrillo, RSHM (50 years); Sr. Marilyn Ficht, RSHM (50 years); Sr. Maureen Theresa McGroddy RSHM (50 years); Sr. Breda Shelly, RSHM (50 years).

Sr. Pat Connor, RSHM, Provincial for the Western Province, welcomed the assembly at the beginning of the celebration. Later, she invited the Jubilarian Sisters to stand and renew their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience before the gathered assembly.

Fr. Robert Scholla, SJ, Rector of the LMU Jesuit Community, preached the homily. Fr. Randy Roche, SJ, Director of the LMU Center for Ignatian Spirituality, served as Master of Ceremonies. Other priest concelebrants included Fr. Paul Nourie, OMI, and Fr. Kevin Larkin.

As you might imagine, it was a joyful celebration of the lives, dedication, ministry, service, generosity and love of these women for God and for the Church. What a wonderful testimony to the power and presence of grace in their lives and in the RSHM Community.

A very powerful moment for me came when we joined hands during the Lord’s Prayer. It was a profound moment of our welcome and share in the RSHM Extended Family: RSHM, SJ, OMI, diocesan priest, and lay men and women.

And from a Jesuit perspective, it was a certainly a moment of Jesuit Partnership with those who share in our ministry. Yes, the Sisters of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary share our Ignatian Charism. Many of the Sisters present in the assembly had either worked at LMU or lived at the LMU Leavey Center. In addition, among the jubilarians, Sr. Marilyn Ficht, RSHM, teaches at Verbum Dei High School, and Sr. Frances Gussenhoven, RSHM, serves in the LMU Center for Ignatian Spirituality. Sr. Peg Dolan, RSHM, LMU Alumni Chaplain, was also present and gave the toast and blessing during the dinner reception.

The Holy Spirit really is creating something new with our call to collaboration with the laity and other religious. And in such moments I am reminded that Jesuit colloboration with the laity and religious has two beautiful sides in the relationship. 

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