170th anniversary of SCC

MENDHAM  During a Mass on Aug. 21 to commemorate the 170th anniversary of the founding of the congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity, Bishop Serratelli thanked God for these consecrated religious women, whose faithful example “can help us in turning away from our own thoughts and worries to see the love of God on the face of Christ crucified.” The Bishop served as main celebrant and homilist at the liturgy, which also marked significant anniversaries of eight sisters, held in the Chapel of Mary Immaculate, Mallinckrodt Convent, their motherhouse.

Visiting with the sisters of the North American Eastern Province from Paderborn, Germany, Sister Maria del Rosario Castro, superior general of the congregation, joined the sisters to observe the anniversary of its founding. In prayer and song, the sisters thanked God for the graces enabling the ever-growing community to continue living out Blessed Pauline’s charism of holy charity. Today, more than 400 sisters worldwide serve God’s people in six countries. The Sisters engage in teaching, healthcare, parish ministry and various other works of charity.

During the Mass, eight jubilarians renewed their vows as Sisters of Christian Charity. They were: Sister Mary Stanislaus Surgoft, 80 years; Sister Mara Beadle, 75 years; Sister Theresa Marie Yeakel, 70 years; and Sister Mary Damien Buskirk, Sister Marilyn McCusker, Sister Mary Mark Smith, Sister Mary Edward Spohrer, provincial superior, 60 years, and Sister Marie del Rosario Castro, 40 years.

“The great work that Mother Pauline, your foundress, began continues with the grace that has been given to each of you. We come together to celebrate years of fidelity, years of service and years of love,” said Bishop Serratelli in his opening remarks.

Concelebrating the Mass were Father Hugh Murphy, a retired priest of the diocese, and Rev. Michael Parisi, diocesan vicar general and pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Wayne. Assisting was Deacon Raymond Latour of Resurrection Parish, Randolph.

“Today, we are filled with gratitude to God for the founding of our religious community and we are so happy that Bishop Serratelli could join us,” said Sister Mary Edward, adding that the sisters around the world were celebrating with them.

Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt was born on June 3, 1817 in Minden, Germany. Her family’s wealth and prestige did not close her mind to the hardships of others. As a young woman, she cared for the poverty-stricken families of Paderborn. She nursed their sick and brought them food. In 1840, her charitable works extended to opening a kindergarten and two years later a school for blind children.

Blessed Pauline’s love for God and her care for the poor and needy led her to consider a religious vocation. She was advised to begin her own community. On Aug. 21, 1849, Pauline, together with three other women, began the Sisters of Christian Charity, which spread rapidly in Germany. When the Kulturkampf — the conflict between the German imperial government and the Roman Catholic Church — struck Germany from about 1872 to 1878, and the community’s schools were closed, Mother Pauline sent sisters to North America and South America.

In 1873, the sisters first arrived in New Orleans, Louisiana. Their expansion stateside included settling in Wilkes-Barre, PA, before moving to Wilmette, Illinois. In time, the congregation divided into two provinces — one in the Midwest and one in the East. The Cromwell Mansion, nestled in the hills of Morris County, between Mendham and Bernardsville, was purchased in 1927. The Georgian-style mansion became Mallinckrodt Convent and the first Motherhouse of the Eastern Province. In 1934, the sisters moved into a larger house on the property because of their growing community. The first motherhouse eventually became Villa Pauline Retreat and Guest House. Today, it is known as Villa Pauline Retreat and Spiritual Center. On July 19, 2018, Bishop Serratelli dedicated a new Mallinckrodt Convent, a 165,000 square-foot facility joining sisters from the former Motherhouse in Mendham and the sisters from Holy Family Convent in Danville, Pa.

Blessed Pauline died April 30, 1881 and was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 1985.

In his homily during the Mass, Bishop Serratelli said that the lives of religious, who are faithful to their vows, such as the Sisters of Christian Charity, “strike the notes of God’s love for us in Christ, striking those notes so beautifully that we tend to forget the normal way we look at life.”

“As Jesus said many times in the Gospel, they [the sisters] didn’t choose him; he chose them and made them a light for us in the darkness and a hope for us in times of despair. They have allowed God to empty themselves of self-love and fill them with his love. This is what we celebrate today — the grace given to them to love others as Jesus commands and as Jesus loves us,” the Bishop said.

After the Mass, Sister Maria del Rosario remarked, “We have much gratitude to Blessed Pauline and all of our sisters who spread her charism around the world throughout these 170 years. Today, it is the responsibility of all the Sisters of Christian Charity to continue her spirit.”