Five Years Ago

Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza and Alice Claire

Consecration to a Life of Virginity Lived in the World, 5/8/04

Photography by Ann L. Krumrein

Last week was the fifth anniversary of my consecration to a life of virginity lived in the world. In honor of this occasion, Fr. Paul Lockey, our pastor at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, had a lovely reception for me last Sunday. It was so wonderful to celebrate with my parish family both at Mass and afterwards, especially because the Eucharist is the heart of the consecrated virgin's vocation and life, and her parish is her community. After Fr. Lockey said some beautiful words and gave me his priestly blessing, I shared these thoughts with my parish family, which sum up how vitally important they are to me.

Thank you, Father Lockey, and also Betty Bayley, for arranging this celebration. Father Lockey, your appreciation for my vocation and life as a consecrated virgin is one of God's greatest gifts to me, and I thank you with all my heart for your support, your love and your friendship.

And I thank each one of you as well for your support, your love and your friendship. Because I do not belong to a religious order as sisters do, people often ask me "where is your community?" My answer is "my parish is my community." That's you, each one of you, and all of you together.

You are my community, you are my family. You are my sisters and brothers, my mothers and fathers. You nurture me – you accept and love me – you encourage me, you help me to become a better person and a better consecrated virgin – you show me the Father's love by the witness of your lives – you comfort me in my sorrows and rejoice with me in my joys. For this I thank God, and I thank each one of you. I hope I do the same for you – I certainly try to because I am your sister. I am also your mother – one of the greatest joys of being a consecrated virgin is being a spiritual mother to one and all. As a mother carries her child in her arms, I hold you in my heart always -- with much love and great gratitude and immense joy.

In closing, I'd like to quote the writer of Psalm 34, who says it much better than I ever can: "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!"

Friday, May 8, was the actual anniversary of my consecration, so some of my dearest friends in the parish took me out for a special lunch, after which we went to the home of one of the ladies for coffee and dessert. We are "the Sanctuary Bees" -- or Bees, for short -- who serve our parish sort of like an altar society. We also serve each other as over the years we've become close spiritual friends and help each other to grow in our faith and God's love. The Bees helped me plan my consecration in 2004, which was part of our 5pm Saturday evening Mass, and held a beautiful reception for me afterwards. Our time together this past Friday was replete with great joy, happy memories, much laughter, and deep gratefulness to our dear Lord who first brought us together and keeps us united in His wondrous love.

Truly, my cup is overflowing!