Silver Celebration

On April 30^th, despite the horrific storms, tornados and catastrophes that occurred earlier that week here in Hanceville and nearby Cullman, we had a great reason to rejoice in God’s goodness and mercy. On that eve of Divine Mercy Sunday, Sr. Mary Agnes of Jesus celebrated 25 years of Religious Life! One of the verses Sister chose to commemorate this milestone was taken from Revelation: "Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life." As Fr. Joseph, MFVA mentioned in his homily at the Jubilee Mass, it was a most fitting day to celebrate ‘faithful love’ – Sister’s fidelity to Christ in prayer for the Church and in a special way, for the newly beatified John Paul II! Could there be a better anniversary gift than to see the person one had been interceding for, for so many years, raised up as a Blesssed?! Overwhelmingly apparent too, was the evidence of God’s faithfulness as he brought Sister and her family together in the midst of terrific ‘odds’ for this joyous occasion! Having become a bride of Christ during the Easter season more than two decades ago, there could be no better time for Sr. Agnes to renew her vows than during the Easter octave – the great ‘day that the Lord has made!’ The ingenuity exercised by all – cooks, sacristans, etc… as they prepared by daylight & lantern light for this celebration, certainly added to the solemnity of the day! We give thanks to God for all the ways He has blessed us and the whole Church through Sr. Agnes’ fidelity these 25 years! May He continue and fulfill the good work begun in His bride 25 years ago!

Thank you to all who kept us in prayer during the tornados that recently swept through Alabama. God certainly preserved us from harm and we cannot thank Him enough - that alone is enough for a post of its own!!! Our prayers are with those suffering from the immense destruction the storms caused and those who are struggling to live day by day.