HI Six take f i rst vows as
'GREAT DAY'
Missionaries of Charity By Evelyn Zappia
1 >
I
0
Mn the presence of the superior general of their community, six women took their first profession of vows as Missionaries of Charity on May 31 in Pacifica 's Church of the Good Shepherd. Sister M. Nirmala, the successor to Mother Teresa as leader of the order, traveled from India for the ceremony. She was accompanied by Sister M. Ancy, the first Missionaries of Charity Sister whom Mother Teresabrought to San Francisco 20 years ago to begin the order 's missionary work on the West Coast. "I am very happy, very happy being here and offering the Sisters to Jesus to satiate His thirst for souls, " Sister Nirmala said. "It's a great day." Traditionally, the "great day" is held on die feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth and each Sister takes Mary as part of her religious name, according to Missionaries of Charity Sister Sharon. The newly professed Sisters are M. 1 Annie Claret of Honduras, M. Cynthia of Nigeria, Jose Maiy of Kenya, M. Laura Vicuna of Kenya, Giovana Maria of Colombia and Maria Lujan of Argentina. Sister Nirmala referred to them as "blessings of God to all the nations." Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio of Ignatius Press celebrated the Mass with Father Piers Lahey, pastor of the Church of the Good Shepherd, and Father John Sweeny,pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Santa Clara concelebrating. In his homily, Father Fessio thanked Sister Nirmala for her "presence on the extraordinarily appropriate feast day," something, he stated , that . wasn 't always possible by her predecessor who found it difficult to fit the event into her busy schedule. MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY , P age ] 9
,.f ',.r.n...— i
I
addresses the newly professed Missionaries •> M, Ancy and rig ht Sister Nirmala vm Vicuna as Sr. Maria Luj an waits. S HHHHHHHBHHHHNHH^
IH
Archdiocese focuses on ^Protecting God's Family' By Patrick Joyce
JL he Catholic Church, guided by Gospel values and its moral traditions, is in a unique position to lead the battle against all forms of child abuse , two children 's advocates told participants in an archdiocesan workshop on the prevention of harassment and child abuse. "Advocacy for children should be at the top of our list of social concerns, " Jesuit Father Bernie Bush told an audience of priests, religious and archdiocesan lay staff members. Following the lead of advocates for the unborn who speak of being "a voice
for the voiceless," the Church should speak out in defense of the "recently born," especially children five and younger, said Father Bush , a staff member of the Jesuit Retreat House in Los Altos who has long experience in the prevention of abuse. "The homeless and the hungry have a voice, so do people on death row," he said , "but children don 't have a voice." The Rev. Kibbie Ruth of Kyros Ministry in San Mateo told the workshop that Christian churches are in a unique position to prevent child abuse because "we have the Gospel to help these children." "Everyone should share the vision: children have the right to be safe," she said.
PROTECTING GOD'S FAMILY, page 10