Sister Mary Eve Felesi, from the Solomon Islands, made her perpetual vows as a Missionary Sister of the Society of Mary at Sacred Heart Church in Waltham, MA, USA on June 30th, 2018.

Mary was one of a group of six Sisters in Temporary Vows who have been participating in a Program of Ongoing Formation from October 2017 to July 2018 here in the USA. The Sisters are from six different countries of origin: Togo, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands. They had each been missioned in other countries: Madagascar, Senegal, Italy, Vanuatu and Colombia.

These months were a time of deepening reflection on our way of life as consecrated religious women, living the vowed life in an apostolic missionary congregation and in the spirit of Mary, mother and first disciple of the Lord. The Sisters also began online studies towards a degree in Theology from the International Dominican University during this time.

It was with great joy that we were able to celebrate the perpetual vows of Sister Mary towards the end of this Program. Sister Georgeanne Marie Donovan, our congregational leader, was present to receive the vows. Father Ken Thibodeau SM was the main celebrant and homilist, and Father Denis Wheatley OFM, our pastor, and Brother Damian Johnson OFM joined in the celebration, along with many Sisters from the area and friends who had gotten to know the Sisters through their volunteer work at St Mary’s After School Program and at the Maristhill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

We are very grateful for all those people – near and far – who have supported Sister Mary and the other Sisters here by your prayers and by the help you have given in so many ways. May the Lord and His Mother bless you all!