South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, November 16, 1990 Page: 4 of 12
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4-November 16,1990
AROUND THE DIOCESE
SIC
Sister celebrates 60 years with congregation
*v**Yi'-sine_.1
Editor's note: the following is part of a
continuing series on different orders of
women religious serving the Diocese of
Corpus Christi.
By the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters
CORPUS CHRISTI—It will be a day of
rejoicing when Sister Mary Cyrilla, a
member of the Holy Spirit Adoration Sis-
ters of Blessed Sacrament Convent, cele-
brates her 60th anniversary of profession
Nov. 21. At her wish it will be a quiet
celebration at the 7 a.m. community Mass
but already our hearts arc filled with grace-
filled joy as we voice our thanks to God for
this happiness.
Sister Mary Cyrilla was bom in Hoitwick,
Westphalia, in the Diocese of Mucnster,
Germany, andcntcrcdtheHoIy Spirit Ado-
ration SistcrsinDriburg,Germany on Nov.
5, 1927. On her reception day she was
given the name Sister Mary' Cyrilla, hav-
ing St. Cyril of Jerusalem as her patron
saint.
Already at the age or 8 she had the
thought to be a Sister of Perpetual Adora-
tion for at her home parish they always tiad
the 40 hours devotion. Her pastor spoke o f
adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and
mentioned that there existed orders of monks
and Sisters who keep adoration day and
night, but he did not mention where.
The Holy Spirit was already silently
leading the Sister when oneday she visited
her cousin and there found a magazine
from Steyl, Holland, the mothcrhousc of
the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters. The
magazine was the answer to her questions
and she remembers that she spent the en-
tire day reading the articles.
After her profession of vows, Sister Mary
Cyril la was transferred to the United States
m
9m-
li-
on May 4, 1931, spending 20 years at
Mount Grace Convent in St. Louis, MO.
and 15 years at our convent in Argentina.
The Sister recalls that her long stay in
South America was very happy and dan-
gerously exciting. As superior of the con-
vent in Argentina, she vividly remembers
how God’s loving providence spared them
during a time of crisis. It was truly at this
time that the full realization of her holy
vocation came to her as a Contemplative-
Missionary Adoration Sister.
To Sister Mary Cyrilla, peipetual adora-
tion of the most Blessed Sacrament was an
ideal, and she had the desire to be a mis-
sionary to pray and sacrifice herself for the
Sister Mary Cyrilla
of the Holy Spirit
Adoration Sisters
of the Blessed
Sacrament
Convent will cele-
brate the 60th an-
niversary of her
profession on Nov,
21. Her pet name
is "God's flower
girl,"because of
her special
charism with flow-
ers.
missions and for priests
After her 15 years in Argentina, she was
sent to our-then existing Austin, Texas,
convent where she remained 18 years. It
was here that the wonderful friends in
Austin gave her the pet name that still
remains—“God’s bower girl!” Sister Mary
Cyrilla has a marvellous charism with
flowers. Because of the Texas heat there
arc times when (lowers are very hard to
find in the garden. But give only about
three or four to her and it is amazing the
lovely arrangement she can produce. Tru ly
a miracle at times!
We often tease her that we are going to
“loan her to some of the flower shops here
in Corpus Christi. She has a special love of
flowers and this can be seen by the tender-
ness with which she treats them. It is not
rare when we sec her walking slowly through
the garden looking lovingly at the flower
beds, especially her beloved roses. Noth-
ing makes her happier than to putter at ound
her various rose plots in the garden.
On Jan. 6,1983, Sister Mary Cyrilla was
sent to Corpus Christ. Here again she is in
charge of the floral arrangements. Through-
out her life she has performed various
types of work within the cloister, such as
nursing., sewing, cooking, printing, host-
baking and being portress.
This November Blessed Sacrament
Convent will have two Thanksgiving
Days—Nov. 21, Sister Mary Cyrilla’s
anniversary, and the following day, Nov.
22, the national Thanksgiving Day. Wc
arc certain our many faithful friends will
join us in praising and thanking Cod for
His gift of Sister Mary Cyrilla.
Bishop praised for pro-life work
Editor's note: the following letter was
sent to the South Texas Catholic from
Charles W. Welch, pro-life chairman of
the New York Stale Board of the Ancient
Order of Hibernians in America.
As a guest of Cardinal John O’Connor
(of the Archdiocese of New York) at his
residence Oct. 9—together with many
loaders of Catholic organizations for the
purpose of coordinating our efforts to put
an end to the tragedy of abortion—wc had
the pleasure of meeting Bishop Rene H.
Gracida of the Diocese of Corpus Christi,
Texas.
In the past, Corpus Christi has given the
Ancient Order of Hibernians many good
men, one being our pastnational chaplain,
(retired) Bishop Thomas J. Drury.
The honor of being a guest was cnougn
for most of us. The added joy ofpersonally
meetingBishopGracidabroughtourhopes
to a new high. All Texas should know the
deep love and respect wc have for this
good man. He made his point with clarity
and charity regarding the excommunica-
tions of a Catholic doctor and a clinic
director who are both Catholic and in-
volved in abortions. The bishop simply
acknowledged that they had brought ex-
communication upon themselves under
canon law.
Both Bishop Gracida and Cardinal
O’Connor have stated publicly that “the
Church doesn’t want to sec people excom-
municated.” They arc trying in every way
possible to ensure that individuals don’t
excommunicate themselves.
It is unnatural lor a mother to choose to kill her baby!
The natural choice is life!
Abortion is an unnaturaJ choice!
Wc praise Bishop Gracida for his cour-
age in risking ihe displeasure of the news
media as well as some police associations
for identifying the “rescuers” as “the last
barrier ir defense of the unborn child.”
When police remove these “rescuers” they
arc removing the last line or defense of
these unborn children from the legal-pro-
fessional child killers. The, bishop is not
condemning anyone; he is simply stating a
truth.
Denis Dillon, another pro-life supporter
and the district attorney of Nassau County,
N.Y., is advocating the adoption of a
“conscience clause” in the negotiations of
future union contracts of law enforcement
personnel. Now police officers may en-
counter real spiritual anguish as they be-
come fully aware of the role of the “rescu-
ers.” It may become impossible for them
to enforce a law they view as immoral and
unjust and which allows the taking of an
innocent life which they have sworn to
defend.
This issue has drawn much fire in the
press. Wc can only pray that some of the
heat of this fire will move legislators who
seem to have fewer conscience problems
than most policemen and policewomen.
As a result of our Oct. 9 New York
meeting, we members of the Ancient Order
of Hibernians in America, the Catholic
League for Religious and Civil Rights, the
Catholic Daughters of America, the Knights
of Columbus (just to name a few) have
rededicated ourselves in a united elfort to
bring about change in the law to protect the
bom and unborn. We do so because of our
dignity as a people, our rights as Ameri-
cans and our responsibility as Catholics.
mmsmmm
The Campaign for Human Development was inaugurated by the
United States Catholic Conference in November 1969 to combat
injustice, oppression, alienation and poverty in this country by funding
self-help programs begun and carried out by the poor or by the poor and
non-poor, working together.
Seventy-five percent of the annual collection is placed in a national
fund, 25 percent remains in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
Give generously to the
Campaign for Human Development
Sunday, November 18
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Freeman, Robert E. South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 40, Ed. 1 Friday, November 16, 1990, newspaper, November 16, 1990; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth840652/m1/4/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .