Sisters celebrate 25 to 65 years of consecrated life VIEW PHOTO GALLERY use arrow keys for navigation JACKSON — Weekday mornings, Sister Henrietta Hibbs, 81, can be found teaching religion to Clarksdale St Elizabeth elementary students. Afternoons, she volunteers in her parish.
“I am enjoying it so much,” said Sister Hibbs, a Sister of St. Joseph of La Grange (CSJ). “This is my dedication, this is my life. I wouldn’t go back on God, he’s my all.”
At Southaven Sacred Heart Elementary School, Sister Margaret Sue Broker’s first-grade class recently studied pumpkins. “They were so excited because on Friday we were going to cut the pumpkins open, pull out the stringy pulp, and count the seeds,” said the 67-year-old Franciscan (OSF), who launched her vocation at 14.
“I simply felt called,” Sister Broker said, in describing her choice to become, and continue, life as a religious. “You grow into it and develop, saying this is what God has called me to, and this is the choice I continue to make.”
“Six-year-old children still possess that element of awe, you can get them excited over a spoonful of dirt,” she said, who began teaching at 18 and still loves it.
Forty years ago, Sister Patricia Clemen started her journey as a religious sister in a class of 25. Of that class, only two remain, Sister Clemen and a sister serving in Honduras. “Later two Presentation sisters transferred to our community, so we have four in our class now,” said Sister Clemen, a state health department nurse working in home health.
“This is where my vocation is. I enjoy being a sister. I enjoy helping people as a nurse, serving in that capacity,” said the Dubuque Franciscan (OSF). “I can’t think of anything else I would rather do.”
The comments by these sisters came during a reception following the Dec. 2 Mass of Thanksgiving in Celebration of the Consecrated Life at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle Church.
Altogether six of eight sisters celebrating significant anniversaries attended the Mass and reception. School Sister of St. Francis (OSF) Margaret Held of Durant, marking 40 years and Sister of Charity of Nazareth (SCN) Paula Merrill, celebrating 25 years, did not.
Sister Hipps is celebrating her 65th; celebrating 50th anniversaries are Francisan Sister Broker, Sister of Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) Anne Brooks of Tutwiler, Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity (OSF) Andrene Flasch of Greenwood and Sister Julene Stromberg (OSF) of Holly Springs are celebrating their 50th. No religious brothers celebrated at the event.
“This afternoon we are celebrating a particular form of life,” said Bishop Joseph Latino, principal celebrant with Father Elvin Sunds, vicar general and co-celebrant. “We honor you today because you chose a way of religious life, blessed and sanctioned by the church, in pursuing Christ’s command to be holy.”
It is a life, he said, that could be traced back to the infancy of the church. “In choosing the consecrated life you chose a way of following Christ more freely and intentionally with him through the vows of obedience, chastity and poverty.”
Today it is a life being questioned and challenged “in its very being,” Bishop Latino said. “Christ and his church needs you who have joyously accepted his challenge to ‘come and follow me.’”
Sister Flasch, librarian, teacher and tutor at Greenwood St. Francis of Assis Elementary School, was 18 when she entered the convent. “I really believe God called me to this life and I just can’t say no to him and so I have remained.”
