Dear Friends,
100 years ago, in the spring of 1926, a few courageous Sisters settled into a house on 34th Street in Philadelphia. Thus began a century of our unyielding faith in God as a United States Province and our deep desire to “make Christ known and loved” more widely and deeply, as Saint Raphaela Mary was inspired to do.
In this Centennial year, we are flipping through photo albums and yearbooks in our archives. We are receiving memorabilia and written reflections sent in from our friends and collaborators. We are remembering our 100 year journey in its fullness – how our lives have unfolded across Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, El Salvador, and beyond.
Personally, my mind keeps returning to my first encounter with the Handmaids. I was 23 years old and seeking. I found myself in a week-long immersion in El Salvador, meeting Sisters Sagrario, Gloria, and MaryAnn, and encountering Christ’s love in a new, real and deep way. Since then, my journey has compelled me to grow as an educator, spiritual director and formator – companioning students, colleagues and Sisters in discovery of the life God dreams for us. I have over twenty years of memories, which you have contributed to creating.
Yet as we know in faith, memory is not only of the past; it is a gift for the present and future, connecting us more deeply with who and why we are. There is much to remember with gratitude, to savor with wonder in the present, and to courageously trust as we open the doors to that which God desires to labor within and among us…all of us.
We stand at this anniversary, this threshold, with many lay collaborators who dream with us. Please join us for a special celebration this July. We are inviting our family members, friends, colleagues, former students, and neighbors. YOU are part of our story and we are partners in a mission larger than what we can imagine.
Our collective presence is indeed an act of hope, one that opens doors of healing and connection in a world so in need of hope-filled love.
With immense gratitude and sincere hope to celebrate with you,
Jessica Kerber, aci
Provincial
