The Feast of the Assumption had special meaning this year for two Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.
Sister Monica Hope Mercedes Waters and Sister Ashley Marie Refugio Santora made one-year vows affirming their consent to be part of the congregation and pledging poverty, chastity and obedience as they live in communion with other sisters to witness to the world during an Aug. 15 Mass in Our Lady of Mount Carmel (West) Church in Cleveland.
Bishop Edward Malesic was the celebrant. Concelebrants included Father Joseph Eddy, O de M, Our Lady of Mount Carmel pastor, Father Ryan Mann, priests of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (the Mercedarians) and other priests of the Diocese of Cleveland.
“In today’s world, it takes an act of bravery to do what they did,” the bishop said, referring to the sisters’ commitment to vowed religious life. “Instead of walking away from God’s will, they accepted it.”
The sisters spent a year as a postulant, two years as novices (who wear white veils) and will profess one-year vows for six years, at which time they can make perpetual vows.
During their vow profession, they read the vows at the altar and signed them. Each sister received a black veil, medal, crucifix and constitutions (rules) of the order from the bishop during the liturgy.
Mercedarian sisters wear off-white habits to remind them of the Eucharist, which they receive daily. The habit also reminds them that they are Christ’s brides, so the tunic symbolizes a wedding gown.
As professed sisters, they wear short black veils over their hair as a sign of being set aside for Christ and belonging totally to him. They have a desire to continually die to self so as to live with Christ. The veil also symbolizes that they belong totally to Christ as his brides.
Each sister also wears a congregational medal that displays the pillars of their spirituality: the Eucharist and Mary, the mother of mercy. The front of the medal has the Blessed Sacrament and Mercedarian shield. The Blessed Sacrament is centered in a monstrance, which has rays emanating from it as a reminder of the centrality of the Eucharist in every endeavor and prayer. At their vow profession, the sisters also received a crucifix that they wear close to their heart.
In his homily, Bishop Malesic noted how honored he was to be celebrating the liturgy. He said it was the first time he was presiding at a vow profession for religious sisters.
The bishop said when he arrived in Cleveland last year, one of the first things he did was to visit his future home. “No, I don’t mean the cathedral rectory,” he quipped. “I mean the crypt to the side of the altar in the cathedral where many of our former bishops buried. That’s my future home where I will rest in peace until the resurrection on the last day.”
Noting that it was the feast of the Assumption, he talked about how Mary answered God’s call and how he prepared her for her role as the mother of the savior by creating her without original sin. “She said, ‘Let it be done to me according to your word.’ Then Mary carried the unborn Jesus with her until she delivered him into the world. And that is the central mission of Mary to this day: she brings Jesus to us. What mother doesn’t want to show us her child Mary is always ready to tell us about Jesus,” he said.
The bishop also talked about how Mary joined God in heaven. “Jesus was especially good to his mother. She would not taste the sting of death at the end of her life because she was always without sin,” he explained, adding that Jesus simply took her, body and soul, to himself – what we call the assumption. “And after that, she was crowned as queen of heaven, sitting close to her son.”
When the hour comes for our life on earth to end, “We pray that Mary will be there to place our hand into the hand of her son, who has the power to lift us up again,” Bishop Malesic said.
“Isn’t that why you, the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, invite your neighbors into the Church, to encounter Jesus, especially in the Eucharist? Your joy is enticing. All who know you feel that in your smiles, your warmth and the depth of your faith,” he said.
“Sister Ashley and Sister Monica, Mary is your model and your teacher. She is the first and best disciple of her son. She brings people to Jesus and so must you. Learn from the school of Mary.”
The bishop said in the Mercedarian community, “Let the Lord stretch your patience, expand your care for each other, increase your kindness to strangers and fill your heart with love. Let your heart be ready to accept Christ’s love for you. Always remember that you are loved and called to be love for everyone you encounter along the way. And, imitate the Son of Mary in your poverty, your chastity and your obedience.”
He offered his congratulations to the newly professed sisters as they move forward. “Congratulations to the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament as you see these to women give life and joy to your community,” he added.
After Mass, the sisters posed for photos with their families, the bishop, priests and others before attending a reception at the school.
For more information on the Mercedarian sisters, visit mercedariansisters.org. The congregation’s formation house is at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The sisters also staff the parish school.