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“A brief yet reflective walk through a cemetery is enough to teach us more than all the philosophy of the world during a lifetime."

— Carlos Ruiz Zafon

“Every sunset is an opportunity to reset.

Every sunrise begins

with new eyes.

— Richie Norton

July 21, 2024

A worker from Rome Monument Co. secures straps around the original St. Francis Cemetery crucifix — in place since 1939 — before it is hoisted onto a truck for transport on July 16, 2024, to Christ Our Redeemer Roman Catholic Cemetery for burial. It is all part of the work to renovate and restore our Sisters’ final resting place in the Pittsburgh area.

A Monumental Task

Earlier this year, we told you about The Lasting Legacy Project, an effort by our Sisters to restore and improve access to St. Francis Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pa., the final resting place of more than 140 of our Sisters. Time has taken its toll on the headstones and statues in the cemetery, and its sloping location has proven increasingly precarious to navigate for aging visitors.


In the time since we announced the project, we have been blessed by enthusiastic response from our Sisters, alumnae, benefactors, and the families of many deceased Sisters. You and they have come through with donations large and small to help fund the renovation project. Work is underway, and we are excited to share the progress with you. Please click below to read more and, if you choose, to support the work as it continues.

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Sister Marie Therese Sherwood receives farewell blessings from Father Abraham Orapankal and Deacon John Radvanski on June 30, 2024.

Sister’s Retirement Brings Blessings from Congregation

The faces of those she’s served over nearly two decades flashed through the mind of Sister Marie Therese Sherwood on June 30, 2024, as The Catholic Community of St. Matthias led by Father Abraham Orapankal and Deacon John Radvanski prayed a blessing over her. With this closing Mass, the congregation in Somerset, N.J., offered its gratitude to Sister upon her retirement after 17 years as Pastoral Associate for Social Concerns.


She, too, expressed gratitude for the privilege of serving among them, inviting all to sing O Beloved of God, a hymn written in 2012 to celebrate the parish’s 50th anniversary. Sister Marie Therese’s sister, Annie, and her niece, Kim, were on hand to bring up the offertory gifts, and a reception afterwards granted her time to speak personally with many parishioners. “I told them I’m not saying goodbye,” she says. “But, rather, until we meet again …”


Going forward, Sister hopes to lead days of reflection at St. Francis Center in Bethlehem, Pa., and discover opportunities to volunteer among those in need in the surrounding area.

We Send Our Blessings for Peace & All Good in the Week Ahead!