By Mark Reidy
SISTER Mary of the Holy Spirit described the renewal of her vows of consecration, which she made before Archbishop Barry Hickey and over 70 of her family and friends at St Mary’s Cathedral, as a deeper realisation of her fidelity to God.
During the 2 December Mass, which was concelebrated by Fr Ed Stewart, Fr Doug Harris, Fr Eugene McGrath and Fr Tiziano Bogoni, Sr Mary extended her vows of obedience, chastity and poverty as a member of the Holy Spirit of Freedom Community (HSOF), of which she is a life member.
The HSOF is a Catholic Charismatic Community who are called together to pray, and to love and serve Jesus in the poor, particularly street kids. Their outreach extends also to drug addicts, prostitutes, the emotionally injured, and their parents and families.
Presenting herself before the Archbishop in the habit and veil that has been her daily dress for the past two years, Sr Mary professed to continue to live a life of detachment and simplicity, centering her life around daily Mass, Adoration, the Divine Office, the Rosary and spiritual contemplation.
Sr Mary will also continue to be active within the HSOF Community’s outreach to those who are caught up in addictions, homelessness and mental illness on the streets of Perth, as well as those involved in Pemberton at the Community’s spiritual base, “Karriholm – God’s Sanctuary”. She will spend time in between these ministries based at a convent in Bridgetown.
Josephine Bendotti, a member of the HSOF Council, said that the Community was excited by Sr Mary’s renewal of vows, which follow the renewal made by Brother Robert McLernon a year earlier.
“There is a branch of consecrated life emerging within our Community, which was envisioned by our Founder, Reverend Frank Feain, many years ago”, Mrs Bendotti said. “We are very grateful to God and are hopeful that consecrations such as Sr Mary’s and Brother Robert’s will open the Community and the wider Church to many blessings, as well as inspiring other lay people to deepen their own callings.”
Sr Mary said she was extremely grateful to the Archbishop who had invited her to renew her vows at the Cathedral, which she saw as God’s way of loving her and the Community.