Franciscan Women Say "Yes!"

Section: 
vocations

Srs. Rose Mary and Patricia present the gifts for the Eucharistic celebration.

On August 9, 2009, during a joyful Eucharistic liturgy in Our Lady of Angels Chapel, Srs. Patricia (Patty) Kerezsi and Rose Mary Eve Holter renewed their vows as Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. The chapel was filled with smiles and songs as more than two hundred and fifty of our sisters, companions, and guests extended their hands in prayer over Srs. Patty and Rose Mary Eve and sang the “Blessing of St. Francis” in our traditional gesture of welcome and support. This celebration of sisterhood and renewed commitment to Franciscan evangelical life was a fitting finale to our Gathering Day events commemorating the 800th Anniversary of the Franciscan Movement.

As Sr. Esther Anderson called our two sisters forward to renew their temporary profession of vows for one year, she quoted from our Constitutions: “A vocation to consecrated life, like every true vocation, is necessarily described within the context of mystery: the mystery of God’s call and the mystery of human freedom.”  Srs. Patty and Rose Mary Eve each witness to this mystery in their lives as Franciscan women.  

Profession of Vows

Most gracious God, I acknowledge with gratitude your loving call to religious life. Today, in faith, in hope, and in love, I confirm my response to you through the profession of these vows.

I Sister (N), renew and confirm the dedication that I made of myself to you, most Gracious God, freely and unreservedly, through the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, according to the Rule and Life of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis and the constitutions of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia.

In a spirit of continuous conversion, I also renew and confirm my desire to bind myself in fidelity and love, closer to Christ and to the Church. I place this renewal and confirmation in the care of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, that I may persevere until the end of my life. Amen.

Sr. Patricia Kerezsi made her first profession in 2005. Her relationship with our sisters began in grade school at St. Francis de Sales in Lenni, Pennsylvania, and has included coministering with our sisters as a teacher in Lenni and in West Virginia, and sharing in our charism as a companion since 1990. Since her entrance, Sr. Patty has shared Franciscan community life and prayer with our sisters in Germantown, Pennsylvania; Spokane, Washington; and Aston, Pennsylvania.  Sr. Patty has ministered as a mental health counselor at St. Joseph Family Center in Spokane, Washington, and in the Ministry of Caring in Wilmington, Delaware. Earlier this year, she said “yes” to the call to serve God’s people as Director of the Ministry of Caring’s Samaritan Outreach Center.  Sr. Patty shares her gifts in counseling and administration as she responds compassionately to those who are in need during these difficult economic times. 

Sr. Rose Mary Eve Holter made her first profession as Sr. Gabriel Marie in 1967 and was a professed member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for thirty years.  After her voluntary departure from the congregation in 1997, she ministered among the people of God in various spiritual ministries where she continued to find herself speaking and living out of her Franciscan roots in new ways. In 2005, Sr. Rose Mary Eve joined in our congregation’s celebration of our 150th Anniversary and began to experience anew the mystery of God’s call to vowed religious life. After several years of personal discernment, dialogue with congregational leadership, and affirmation from diverse sisters, Sr. Rose Mary Eve requested readmission to the congregation in early 2008 and witnessed our congregational chapter in June 2008.  For the past year, she has shared community and ministry with our sisters at St. Stephen’s Convent in Bradshaw, not far from where she grew up in Joppa, Maryland.  In reflecting upon her experience of the mystery of vocation, Sr. Rose Mary Eve identifies both her departure and her request to return as inspired by the Spirit and guided by the words of our foundress, Mother Francis Bachmann, “No risk, no gain!” 

Srs. Patty, Esther Anderson (Congregational Minister), Rose Mary, and Diane Tomkinson (Formation Director)

In their renewal of vows on August 9th, both Srs. Patty and Rose Mary Eve responded “freely and unreservedly” to the mystery of God’s call.   In reflecting upon the day, Sr. Patty comments: “It was a beautiful day and I appreciate everyone's prayers, love, and support.”  Sr. Rose Mary Eve described the liturgy as “an experience of being bathed in God's extravagant love. It was a celebration of the joy and beauty of our sisterhood as we witness the goodness of God in our midst!” All the sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia rejoice in Srs. Patty and Rose Mary Eve’s continued choice “to live the gospel” in the spirit of our congregational Mission Statement, as together, “filled with trust in the goodness of God, we move forward.”