Three Incarnate Word sisters celebrate jubilees

Intermountain Catholic

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From left, Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word Sisters Kathleen Daly, Michele Curtin and Margaret Christina Collins receive well-wishers during the reception in their honor.

SALT LAKE CITY – Decades of service to the diocese, Saint Ann Parish and its school were honored Dec. 5 when three Sisters of Charity the Incarnate Word were feted for their jubilee years.

"In a very real and concrete way, right in front of us is today’s homily, a living homily" in the sisters’ witness to God, their perseverance and their service, said Monsignor Colin Bircumshaw, Saint Ann pastor, who celebrated the Mass, which fell on the second Sunday of Advent, during which the readings recalled the love of God. Concelebrating the Mass were Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, who has known the sisters for many years and also brought well wishes from Bishop John C. Wester; Fr. Andrzej Skrzypiec, pastor of Saint Ambrose Parish, who worked with one of the sisters at Saint Anthony Parish in Helper; and Msgr. Matthew Wixted.

To the sisters, Msgr. Bircumshaw said the witness of their lives is even more important than their years of apostolic ministries. "Your free choice to embrace lives of poverty, chastity and obedience out of love for the Lord and his Church proclaims the compelling message that our world needs to hear more than ever," he said.

Celebrating her 60th Jubilee was Sister Michele Curtin, who taught at St. Ann School for five years and also has been on the board of Kearns-St. Ann Catholic School for many years. In addition, she has been involved with the ministry of St. Ann Parish since 2004.

Two sisters were honored on their Golden Jubilee: Sister Margaret Christina Collins, who has served at CHRISTUS Saint Joseph Villa for the last 11 years, and Sister Kathleen (Philothea) Daly, who for 16 years taught and was principal of St. Ann School.

After the Mass, Candice Nkoy, the school’s student body president, and Izabella Tinoco, the student body secretary, presented the sisters with individual books of spiritual bouquets from each class. When the school was founded, it was administered and staffed by Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.

Rose Graham, the school’s accountant, presented Sr. Michele with a letter from the Salt Lake Jazz professional basketball team.

"Sr. Michele is the biggest Jazz fan," Msgr. Bircumshaw. "She never misses a game."

Although most of the time Sr. Michele watches the Jazz on television, in February, when the team hosts Houston, she’ll be in the stands, courtesy of tickets given to her by the parish.

At the reception following the jubilee Mass, the Jazz Bear made an appearance, arranged by Msgr. Bircumshaw as a surprise for Sr. Michele. "It’s her personality," he said. "She’s got a great sense of humor and she didn’t expect this. It’s the highlight of the party."

Among the hundreds of people who waited in line to speak with the sisters at the reception was Mary Ellen Hoffman Hyland, whom Sr. Kathleen taught from grade six through grade eight. "She had more influence on me than anyone else growing up," Hyland said. Many of the lessons didn’t seem to matter to her as a kid, she said, but as she got older she realized how important it is to be thankful, to be kind to one another and to follow her dreams.

The sisters will return to their mother house in Texas after the sale of the villa, which is still in the works, but they will remain in Salt Lake City at least through February, Msgr. Bircumshaw said.