Mary Irvine presents her request to enter novitiate to Mother Miriam Seiferman, Mother General.
Mary enters the chapel after being clothed in the habit and veil. She is holding her postulant medal which she will present back to Mother Miriam.
MERIDEN, CT (06-24-2020) – Mother Miriam Seiferman, Mother General, received Mary Irvine into novitiate in a private Community ceremony in the Chapel of St. John on the solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist. After Mary presented her request to enter novitiate, Mother Miriam responded with a joyful “Yes” that echoed the sentiment of the entire Community of Sisters. Mother Miriam then blessed the habit, veil and cincture with which Mary would be clothed as a novice. Mother Barbara Johnson, Vicar General, assisted in the clothing. Upon her return to the chapel, Mary appeared radiant as she wore the habit of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist for the first time. Mother Miriam announced that Mary would be named Sister Mary Rose. The traditional blessings of the new novice by Mother Miriam, Mother Barbara and Mother Shaun Vergauwen, Co-foundress, were given to Sister Mary Rose, after which the Community sang the Blessing of St. Francis.
Sister Mary Rose, the Community’s first novice from Nebraska, is the daughter of Don and Pat Irvine of Cairo, Nebraska. Sister Mary Rose received a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of Nebraska – Kearney where she was the music coordinator for the Catholic Newman Center. As a postulant, she worked as the office manager for Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care.
The novitiate is a time set apart for the novice to learn about the essential elements of religious life, the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, and community life. Sister Mary Rose will live at the John Lateran Center for formation with other Sisters in formation.
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