Apostles for Today
June 2024
AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE WELCOME HIM AND RECOGNIZE HIM.
Love among the members of the community.
June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. These two feastdays, celebrated one after another, indicate their close connection and the inseparable unity between the Heart of the Divine Son and the Heart of His Mother. In them is hidden the mystery of God's incomprehensible and purest love. It is from this source of two loving Hearts- of Jesus and Mary- that we learn true and pure love, for all brothers and sisters.
In this reflection I want to share my experience of the communal life where I presently belong: not only in a Pallottine religious community but as part of interlocking communities of the city of Laurel, the Catholic parish and Catholic school communities.
I came to Laurel, MD in August, 2023. The city is located midway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD on the banks of the Patuxent River. According to the last US census, the population of Laurel is over 30,000 residents. The beginning of the Pallottine Missionary Sisters in Laurel dates back to 1934. Urged by Love of Christ and responding to the signs of times, a group of young, dynamic and zealous Pallottine Sisters came here and started their apostolic work, mainly in education and parish ministry. Their daily outreach was to the children in the boarding school and families in the Parish. They also conducted social and charitable works and organized summer catechesis outside the city. Like St. Vincent Pallotti, they wanted to be everything to everyone. Today we bear fruit from the Sisters’ hard work; seeds of faith and love planted years ago by them in the hearts of local people, until this fruit produced the Biblical hundred-fold. Although Sisters lived in the constructs of religious community, their spiritual and apostolic life had a much greater range. For them community life was not limited to the convent, but to the community of Laurel including church, school, and institutions. Everyone became their brothers and sisters—whose lives they shared, touched and changed. Together with the Pallottine Fathers, whose communities were nearby, Sisters created a Pallottine environment, where Saint Vincent Pallotti became a Laurel saint, and his words often were on people’s lips: “Seek God and you will find God; God in all things and everywhere”. Though the number of the Sisters today is diminishing and their strength is limited, the presence of Pallottine Missionary Sisters in Laurel is much appreciated and treasured. The people are open, kind, respectful, generous, and very grateful for all the efforts Sisters have done for them and their children.
On the occasion of Sister Karen Lester’s retirement and her 65 years of service to St. Vincent Pallotti High School, which we celebrated at the end of April, the Mayor of Laurel, in his special Proclamation Letter addressed to Sr. Karen reads: Sister’s integrity, special skills, and devotion have profoundly impacted the history of the Church, St. Vincent Pallotti High School, the City of Laurel and the State of Maryland. Sr. Karen, in these words exemplifies the attitude of all the Sisters, who came through the doors of Pallotti Convent, marked this community with their testimony of faith, sacrifices and love. Pallotti Convent always was and still is a place where people can come and quietly pray, have tea with the Sisters and share their life, enjoy fond memories from the past and envision new dreams for the future. Pallotti Convent is a home whose doors are always open for those who need help or just want to spend time visiting the Sisters and receiving spiritual nourishment. We need each other; we need to love and be loved and be supportive of one another. If we are not this, then our life becomes senseless, empty, and lifeless.
The Catholic Church and the Pallottine Sisters’ presence truly breathes God and lives God. It is the parish that keeps burning flame of faith among the faithful through prayerful, liturgical, sacramental and community life. St. Mary’s of the Mills Parish in Laurel is an ordinary parish. What makes it special is that this Church is a Church of living faith, where many people come to the church to encounter Jesus. Attendance at daily Mass often numbers over 65 spanning generations. On Sunday not only do they attend Mass but will spend time with Jesus in silent adoration and actively participating in the life of the parish. The church is open from the early morning to late evening, and every day a priest hears confession. It is inspiring to see different groups of small communities within the parish to actively respond and reach out spiritually and materially.
St. Mary’s of the Mills Church has two dedicated priests, the pastor and his vicar, who serve the parish community of 1270 parishioner households, including a large number of families with children and around 2860 individual Catholics. As we are experiencing painful changes in our society, country and world, where attempts are being made to eliminate God from our life, this Church lives a regular rhythm of life, where everyone is doing what is expected of them, as members of St. Mary’s Parish. Dedication and collaboration of Fathers, deacons and Sisters, as well as great involvement of the laity in the life of the parish, schools and society, often remind me of Pallotti’s vision of the Cenacle, the life of the Apostles, or the early Christian community described in Acts 2:42-47. Observing the life of the parish, one can say that this is exactly what Pallotti says about the universal apostolate - inviting all to be apostles of Christ. According to St. Vincent Pallotti’s idea, this is the Union of the Catholic Apostolate which is evolving and being officially established.
By the example of our life in Laurel, we can say that we live in different communities. Through them and with them we grow, we develop and work. But most importantly, the Pallottine Sisters constitute our religious community - creating a home and family. Although different and maybe difficult as community life may be, we are called to love - not to live one without the other, but one with the other, for the other and in the other as we share joys and sufferings, embracing and witnessing the beauty of the Gospel and Pope Francis’ admonishment to take care of our sheep. We need community to love, to extend ourselves through our vocation and friendships.
The essence of community life and relationships is love--without which no one can live. Therefore, let us pray: Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, teach us love and make our hearts like yours.
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