100 years of Spirit
Last month I had the pleasure of attending the 100th Anniversary of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland. Along with hundreds of friends and family members, we descended the cathedral steps to the reception hall following Mass to greet and congratulate the sisters. There, seated at the back of the hall was my dear friend, Sr. Agnes Cecilia. Stricken with osteoporosis, she could not lift her head to look at me, but immediately recognized my voice as I greeted her. Tears of joy filled my eyes as well as hers, as we hadn’t seen each other since I left Immaculate Conception Parish (now St. Maria Goretti) in Bloomfield 7 years ago. Sr. Agnes, known for her sense of humor, was a friend as well as a musical mentor to me. Her 3rd grade students were always well prepared for Mass, and I remember her practicing the readings with them at the microphone over and over until they were able to pronounce each word with perfection. She was famous for her joy and her spirited ways, and would often be heard singing, humming, and dancing around the convent as well as the school. I remember her dancing the polka and the tarantella with then Pastor, Fr. Dominic Olivieri at all the parish dinner dances. Her love, joy and generous spirit permeated the entire community, and she was loved by all who encountered her. Sr. Agnes Cecilia is retired now, and living at the Motherhouse on Clarwin Ave. in Ross Township. I’m sure she’s giving the sisters there a lot of laughs. The sisters celebrate their feast day this weekend on Pentecost. May their joyous spirit live on forever!
