Century of Adoration

Read about our founding and early years in Detroit - parts I through VIII.  Part IX, “The Golden Anniversary” NOW AVAILABLE.  Our complete 64 page Centennial Booklet is also available as a pdf file.

News

Introducing Sister Kathyrn Thorn

Above: Sr. Kathyrn (left) Sr. Theresa Marie and Sr. Maria of Jesus

Below: Sister Kathyrn receives her Dominican Cross as the community looks on

and Sister Theresa Marie Uyen Nguyen

Sr. Theresa Marie, center, entered our community on Trinity Sunday.  She is pictured here with Sr. Maria of Jesus, Sr. Mary Thomas (prioress), Father Joachim Culotta who was here preaching our Corpus Christi novena of Masses, and Sr. Mary Rose (novice mistress)

Outside, the weather was grey and drizzly which seemed to have become the “new normal” for at least part of each day in our area. Inside, the atmosphere was bright in anticipation of the joy of a special day: Mercy Sunday, the beatification of our beloved Pope John Paul II, and the “vestition” or reception of the holy habit by our Extern postulant, Sister Maria Carol Nwagwu, who has been with us for almost a year.  The reception of the habit marks the beginning of the two-year novitiate, during which the candidate, building on what she has learned during her time of postulancy, prepares for her profession of vows, studying the vows of obedience, poverty and chastity, as well as our Constitutions. 

 The ceremony of the reception of the habit is held privately in our Chapter Hall and the religious  name to be given to the new novice at the time of vestition is kept a “military secret,” known only to the prioress, the novice mistress and the candidate herself.  There are often a few sly attempts to ferret out the secret at recreation by “innocent” questions, etc., but usually without any success. (The postulant has been forewarned!) When we arrived in the Chapter Hall for the ceremony, and picked up the little booklets provided and saw a beautiful picture of the Good Shepherd tenderly holding a lamb in his arms, some of us smiled a bit, thinking that one of the three “insiders” had inadvertently given away the secret, and that our new novice would be called: Sister Mary of the Good Shepherd!  Not so! When the newly garbed novice stood at attention before the prioress, we heard with surprise: “At Baptism you received the name Maria-Carol.  Henceforward ....you will be called: Sister Maria of Jesus!”

 Our prayers and best wishes are with you, dear Sister Maria of Jesus!

Above, Sister professes her solemn vows into the hands of Sr. Mary Thomas, prioress as Sr. Mary Rose, Novice Mistress assists.   Click on the above image to view a presentation of the profession ceremony. Below, our sisters from Africa, from left, Sr. Mary Joseph Kanja (Kenya), Sr. Maria Pia (Cameroon) and Sr. Mary Francis (Nigeria) greet our Nigerian guests.