The feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on Sept. 15 could be described as more of a joyful celebration than sorrowful this year in the Columbus diocese.
Bishop Earl Fernandes welcomed four Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows, celebrating a feast-day Mass at Logan St. John the Evangelist Church Tuesday evening. Two of the sisters started as teachers at St. John school this year, one in the preschool classroom and another teaching fifth and sixth grade.
The consecrated religious relocated from Shreveport, Louisiana, to Logan to teach at the parochial school, which offers preschool through sixth grade classes. They reside in a convent next to the church, which has not housed religious sisters in 25 years.
Bishop Fernandes was joined by Father Jean-Luc Zadroga, administrator at St. John the Evangelist, and Deacons Matt Shaw, who serves at the parish, and Paul Zemanek. The bishop spoke highly of the sisters while preaching the Mass.
“You show us that God is to be loved above all else. You are living signs pointing us to our final end, which is God and heaven itself,” he said, speaking directly to the sisters, who also renewed their vows at the liturgy.
“You remind us that God is to be loved and that we need to live in light of the hope of the resurrection of the flesh on the last day, in light of hope for heaven. And so, your presence is greatly appreciated here in our diocese.”
Father Zadroga also expressed gratitude for having the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows at St. John the Evangelist. He said he is grateful “to Our Lady, who answered the prayers to have the sisters here.
“This is so very important for the culture of our school. The gifts that they’re going to bring we are eager to receive.”
RELATED | Bridgettine sisters continue to build, serve
Sister Nicole Cancel, a Wisconsin native who is teaching fifth and sixth grade, holds a bachelor’s in biology and served as a high school teacher in Chicago prior to entering the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows. After joining the congregation, she taught middle school science and religion in Louisiana.
Sister Anahí Bernardina Martínez Borboa, a native of Mexico, will serve in the preschool classroom. She came to the United States after professing final vows. She previously served at the E. Renzi Child Development Center in Shreveport and as a preschool teacher.
A third religious, Sister Liza Catherine Gomes, in Bangladesh is awaiting her visa to return to the United States and will join the others as a teacher at St. John the Evangelist.
The Institute of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows was founded in 1839 by Blessed Elisabetta Renzi. The order is present in six countries worldwide: Italy, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Its motherhouse is in Italy.
In 1947, the order opened its first mission in Louisiana. Three convents are established there with another in New Mexico, and now, one in Ohio.
“We are pleased to welcome the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows to the Diocese of Columbus and to St. John School, and grateful to Bishop Fernandes, Father Jean-Luc and Mother Serena (the order’s superior general) for allowing this to happen,” said Dr. Adam Dufault, superintendent for the Office of Catholic Schools.
“Their presence is a tremendous gift to our Catholic school community. We are appreciative not only for their ministry as educators but for the joyful and visible witness of consecrated life they will offer to our students and families each day.”
RELATED | Pope Leo names Salesian sister as prefect of Vatican’s human development dicastery
In his homily, Bishop Fernandes affirmed the benefit of the consecrated religious serving in the school.
“We have people like sisters and lay teachers working together to help a young person to grow and live in hope and have a sense of meaning in life—not just to use one’s mind but also one’s heart—and to have true, authentic and integrated formation, so that the young person can grow not only as a good citizen but a good disciple,” he said.
A.J. James, principal at St. John the Evangelist School, was present for the feast day Mass. James, who is in his first year as principal at the elementary school, appreciates having the religious sisters on staff.
“It brings a whole different dynamic for the kids because they see Father (Zadroga), but they don’t often see the other vocations,” he explained. “It’s good for not just the girls but all the students to get that exposure to those other vocations.
“In the classroom, they’re both experienced teachers,” he added of Sisters Nicole and Anahí. “They’re both obviously very mature in their spiritual lives, and so, it just brings a whole dynamic of charity, love, humility to our school building, and it’s fantastic.”
St. John the Evangelist School expanded this year to add Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), a religious, hands-on experience for children. Students engage in religious formation in an atrium, or prepared environment, on Wednesdays after attending Mass.
The school currently offers CGS for children in preschool through fourth grade – levels one (ages 3-6) and two (ages 6-9) – with capacity to expand to sixth grade (level three, ages 9-12). Sisters Nicole and Anahí are being trained to serve as catechists in the program.
“The purpose of CGS is to form a contemplative setting – a contemplative environment for the students,” James said. “I think that would be our overall goal this year with each student, is to really form them beyond their academics.”