Signs of Hope:
S. Tracy Kemme Professes Final Vows By Erin Reder
L
ooking into the faces of a small group of loved ones in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on July 25, 2020, the day of her final vow ceremony, S. Tracy Kemme felt the presence and support of so many more. Watching, praying and celebrating with her through livestream video were thousands of friends, family members, Sisters and Associates from across the world who had the opportunity to ‘tune-in’ to a service that looked quite differently from the one she had originally envisioned. “I know how many meaningful ceremonies have taken place in that chapel over so many years and I could feel that powerful presence, the legacy of our Community, the long impact of our charism. That was so strengthening,” S. Tracy said. “The opening song that I chose was called ‘With All the Saints’; each verse describes different groups of people gathering together as one body in the Lord, a sign and sacrament of Christ. It speaks of those that have gone before and those still to come. It was a way to call upon everyone that I knew watching, the people that were there and the Sisters and family members that have gone before.” 12
Who would have ever guessed that the day she had been planning for, the day she had been anticipating since entering the Community in 2012, would take place during a global pandemic? When this pandemic prohibited visitors to Mount St. Joseph and temporarily halted any sense of normalcy on campus, S. Tracy and her mentors had to rethink the celebration creatively. Through all the uncertainty, S. Tracy says her constants were God’s faithful love and an unwavering sense that she was still supposed to make final vows even if it looked very different than originally anticipated. “There was something about having so much stripped away that shined a light on the commitment in a way I didn’t expect,” she recalled. “It forced me to think about what this commitment really means at its core. I had to ask, ‘What is most essential?’ Strangely, the chaos of the pandemic, a contentious election season, and a long overdue reckoning about race in America actually highlighted why I want to be a Sister – to respond to the pain of the world. My heart said clearly: Yes, this is what I want to do no matter what is I n t e rc o m
