St Marys High School - Blue Mantle Yearbook (Milford, MA)

Page 15 text:

The highest vocation any woman may aspire to is the serving of God in the holy religious state under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was the first woman to dedicate herself entirely to ministering to the Holy Trinity, with Whom she is so closely affiliated, i Although the religious li fo either active or comtemplative is a life of joyful self-immolation and ecstatic union with God, the arduous labor attached to it, is so tremendous that seldom does a nun attain her golden jubilee, the fiftieth anniversary of her consecration to God. Thrice blessed therefore is the hand-maid the Lord rewards with a happy old-age, crowned with the virtues of half a cen¬ tury of faithful labor in His household. On March nineteenth, the Feast of St. Joseph, Sr, Mary St. Jerome attained her fiftieth anniversary as a Sister of Saint Joseph. The jubilee celebration opened with a High Mass celebrat¬ ed by Reverend Thomas P« Kelly followed by an informal reception at the Convent. Throughout the day, open house was conducted during which many hundreds of parishioners of St. Mary’s Parish called to extend their personal felicitations to the beloved nun. During the afternoon Sister Mary St. Jerome received in the Convent parlor amid many lovely bouquets presented by friends from Milford and former parishes where she had laboured. Among her many gifts were a large gold crucifix, suitably inscribed, from Rev. John F. Sullivan,acting pastor of St. Mary’s parish; a congratulatory message from the Rev. Mother John Berchmans of the Mother House, and the Blessing of His Holiness, Pius Xll, Supreme Head of the Catholic Church on earth.

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In the past few years a deep interest in Catholic edu¬ cation has been stimulated in the surrounding towns as well as here in Milford, Through the zeal of the neighboring priests, it has been possible for many to secure a Catholic school training at St, Mary 1 s- These ministers of Christ have shown a great interest in the welfare of their spiritual children by providing for all the means of attending a pa¬ rochial school. Probably the best known of these kindly priests is Father Murphy of Uxbridge-. Since his arrival there as pastor, he has worked energetically among his parishioners on behalf of Catholic education. ' Through his efforts, many children have come to St. Mary ' s., beta to the grammar school and high school. Another familiar name here at St.. Mary a- is that of Father McCormack of Upton whose visits here have provided a source of delight and entertainment to the entire student body. He, too, is a primary force in the increase of out-of- town students. Father Mulry of Millis is another zealous worker in the interest of Christ He has done a great deal to secure for his children a Catholic training and to increase our enroll¬ ment. Father Foran of Whitinsville, Father Boutin of Linwood, Father Tatten of Medway, Father Donovan of Kolliston, Father Fitzgerald of Hopkinton and Father McCafferty of Framingham have worked zealously and energetically to carry out °the wishes of the Church,and to follow the slogan of the National Catholic Educational Association: Every Catholic child In « Catholic school. It Is to all these priests who have worked unsparinclv on behalf of St. Mary’s that we offer our gratitude and ap¬ preciation. We pray that they may continue their work for many years to come. We will long remember the lessons in sincerity and unselfishness that they taught us. Helen Mulligan

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Because of the death of Rev. Jeremiah A, Riordan, pastor of St. Mary’s Parish, which occurred on January first, plans for the -Golden Jubilee observance of Sr, Mary St. Jerome’s entering the sisterhood were curtailed to a certain extent. Sister Mary St, Jerome entered the sisterhood from Saint Jerome’s parish in Holyoke, the mother church. She derived her name from that church and entered the Mother House of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Springfield on March twelfth, 1891. During her fifty years of toil and sacrifice as a parochial school teacher, Sister Mary St. Jerome has been missioned at Springfield, Webster, Pittsfield, Westfield, Newport, R»I. and Milford, where she has spent twenty eight years. Here in Milford, she has endeared herself to all who have come in contact with her, and has carved herself a niche in the life of Saint Mary’s parish, impossible for another to fill. John Holmes ’41 To Sister Mary St. Jerome On the celebration of her Golden Jubilee March 19,1941 Fifty years thou hast journeyed on the way Serving thy Spouse, the Lord of Heaven. Fifty years have passed since that joyous day When to Him, thou wert in rapture giver! Thee His, He thine by unsullied truth Still closer this day has united thee both Faithful bride of Heaven. Fifty years ago this day, the candles gleam ed As clad in white thy vows thou made. Fifty years of thy life the Lord hast reamed As thou passed from youth to age’s shade. Still thy robe is pure and white And thy lamp is trimmed and bright Faithful bride of Heaven. Fifty years in divine service thou hast spent Teaching youth the golden rule of life Fifty years and thy spirit is not bent Placidly you move, undisturbed by strife Self-effacing thou hast ever been Calmly serving God and men Faithful bride of Heaven. John Holmes f