60 Years of Lived Fidelity

On March 20th Sister Maria Rocha celebrated 60 years of vowed religious life as a Sister of St. Joseph of Cluny, in San Pedro, California.  After a simple Mass celebrated by Fr. Patrick, Chaplin of the Little Sisters, the Little Sisters of the Poor hosted a dinner for Sr. Maria with Sisters Ena, Genevieve, Loretto, Mary and Mary Patrice.  While simple it was a day filled with memories and numerous long distance calls. 

Sister Maria’s family and friends called from Canada and Portugal.  Her family recalled the day when she not only left San Miguel for our Novitiate in Braga, Portugal but also her missioning to Angola, Africa. These memories continued with her arrival from Angola for a family visit, which became a 47 year obedience to the Portuguese immigrant population in Hamilton.

Sixty years pass quickly, but the prayer and the “good works” are like pebbles which create concentric circles reverberating in the pond.  Sister Maria’s many years have created on-going graces for many, some whom she will only meet in eternity.