In Mother's Footsteps
Missionaries of Charity give 25 years of selfless service in Diocese
August 8, 2024 at 9:00 a.m.
For 25 years the Missionaries of Charity have carried on the legacy of their founder, St. Teresa of Kolkata, by being of service to the poor, the sick and the downtrodden right here in the Diocese of Trenton.
The silver jubilee milestone of the sisters establishing a convent in Asbury Park was quietly commemorated June 6 during a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in Holy Innocents Church, Neptune.
“For 25 years, the Missionaries of Charity have been a great blessing to our Diocese,” said Bishop O’Connell. “Their prayers and the incredible witness of their lives have kept the spirit of Mother Teresa alive in our Diocese. Congratulations, Sisters, and thank you!”
Humble Beginnings
In June 1995, Mother Teresa visited the Diocese and attended Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. During the Mass, Bishop John C. Reiss, who was then the Diocese’s sitting Bishop, presented a letter to Mother Teresa “formally and canonically” inviting the Missionaries of Charity to establish a residence in the Diocese.
“The presence of your sisters in our Diocese would be a tremendous blessing in our mission to serve the poor and needy in our midst,” Bishop Reiss wrote in the letter. “I hope and pray, Mother Teresa, that we can welcome you and the Missionary Sisters here in the Church of the Diocese of Trenton.”
It took three-and-a-half years before permission was granted and Bishop Reiss’ invitation came to fruition. In November 1998, the Diocese received a letter from the order’s motherhouse in Kolkata, India, seeking approval for a residence within a city where their service would meet the greatest needs. After visiting a number of sites throughout the Diocese, the sisters asked to be established in a house on the western side of Asbury Park, an area that had preponderance of poor.
The Sisters’ official arrival in the Diocese was June 6, 1999, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus. They live on Ridge Avenue in a house that’s distinguished by its colors of white with blue trim awnings, similar to the colors of the sisters’ habits. A life-size statue of Mother Teresa sits on the front lawn.
Always Present
Each day, the Sisters’ ministry takes them to visit shut-ins and provide comfort and consolation to those in need. They operate a soup kitchen three days a week; they work with the homebound senior citizens, visiting them and praying with them; on Sundays, they visit nursing homes; they serve hot food at the nearby train stations on Saturdays; they visit families and teach religious education classes in Mother of Mercy Parish. They host a cooking club for boys and girls, and they lead a summer Bible camp.
“We are very grateful to God for the opportunity given to us to serve the poor,” said Sister Perrine, superior of the four sisters currently residing in the convent. The others are Sister M. Ann Cyril, Sister M. Christea, and Sister M. Tonia. “They [the poor] are our treasure; they are very happy to receive us.”
Sister Perrine smiled when she spoke of how pleased they are to be able to carry out the work of Mother Teresa, who was canonized Sept. 4, 2016, by Pope Francis.
“God has blessed us with thousands of opportunities to feed the poor, teach his children, visit the sick and imprisoned and bring many souls to know and love him,” she said.
At the Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving – celebrated 25 years to the day from when the sisters began their work in Asbury Park – Sister Perrine extended appreciation to Bishop O’Connell and the priests for their presence at the Mass.
“We give thanks to God for the many people who have helped us – some from the very beginning until now,” she said. “Our dearest Mother Teresa never claimed the work as her own but with deep conviction would say, ‘It’s all God’s work!
“Well, God went to work,” Sister Perrine said. “God has continued his work and blessed us with thousands of opportunities to feed the poor, teach the children, visit the sick and imprisoned and bring many souls to know and love him.”
The four Missionaries of Charity sisters currently residing in Asbury Park attend the July 7 Mass celebrating the canonical establishment of the Red Bank Oratory of St. Philip Neri. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell C.M. Mike Ehrmann photoThe Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever. Please consider supporting this work by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION (click HERE) or making a DONATION to The Monitor (click HERE). Thank you for your support.
Related Stories
Thursday, November 21, 2024
E-Editions
Events
For 25 years the Missionaries of Charity have carried on the legacy of their founder, St. Teresa of Kolkata, by being of service to the poor, the sick and the downtrodden right here in the Diocese of Trenton.
The silver jubilee milestone of the sisters establishing a convent in Asbury Park was quietly commemorated June 6 during a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., in Holy Innocents Church, Neptune.
“For 25 years, the Missionaries of Charity have been a great blessing to our Diocese,” said Bishop O’Connell. “Their prayers and the incredible witness of their lives have kept the spirit of Mother Teresa alive in our Diocese. Congratulations, Sisters, and thank you!”
Humble Beginnings
In June 1995, Mother Teresa visited the Diocese and attended Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton. During the Mass, Bishop John C. Reiss, who was then the Diocese’s sitting Bishop, presented a letter to Mother Teresa “formally and canonically” inviting the Missionaries of Charity to establish a residence in the Diocese.
“The presence of your sisters in our Diocese would be a tremendous blessing in our mission to serve the poor and needy in our midst,” Bishop Reiss wrote in the letter. “I hope and pray, Mother Teresa, that we can welcome you and the Missionary Sisters here in the Church of the Diocese of Trenton.”
It took three-and-a-half years before permission was granted and Bishop Reiss’ invitation came to fruition. In November 1998, the Diocese received a letter from the order’s motherhouse in Kolkata, India, seeking approval for a residence within a city where their service would meet the greatest needs. After visiting a number of sites throughout the Diocese, the sisters asked to be established in a house on the western side of Asbury Park, an area that had preponderance of poor.
The Sisters’ official arrival in the Diocese was June 6, 1999, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus. They live on Ridge Avenue in a house that’s distinguished by its colors of white with blue trim awnings, similar to the colors of the sisters’ habits. A life-size statue of Mother Teresa sits on the front lawn.
Always Present
Each day, the Sisters’ ministry takes them to visit shut-ins and provide comfort and consolation to those in need. They operate a soup kitchen three days a week; they work with the homebound senior citizens, visiting them and praying with them; on Sundays, they visit nursing homes; they serve hot food at the nearby train stations on Saturdays; they visit families and teach religious education classes in Mother of Mercy Parish. They host a cooking club for boys and girls, and they lead a summer Bible camp.
“We are very grateful to God for the opportunity given to us to serve the poor,” said Sister Perrine, superior of the four sisters currently residing in the convent. The others are Sister M. Ann Cyril, Sister M. Christea, and Sister M. Tonia. “They [the poor] are our treasure; they are very happy to receive us.”
Sister Perrine smiled when she spoke of how pleased they are to be able to carry out the work of Mother Teresa, who was canonized Sept. 4, 2016, by Pope Francis.
“God has blessed us with thousands of opportunities to feed the poor, teach his children, visit the sick and imprisoned and bring many souls to know and love him,” she said.
At the Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving – celebrated 25 years to the day from when the sisters began their work in Asbury Park – Sister Perrine extended appreciation to Bishop O’Connell and the priests for their presence at the Mass.
“We give thanks to God for the many people who have helped us – some from the very beginning until now,” she said. “Our dearest Mother Teresa never claimed the work as her own but with deep conviction would say, ‘It’s all God’s work!
“Well, God went to work,” Sister Perrine said. “God has continued his work and blessed us with thousands of opportunities to feed the poor, teach the children, visit the sick and imprisoned and bring many souls to know and love him.”
The four Missionaries of Charity sisters currently residing in Asbury Park attend the July 7 Mass celebrating the canonical establishment of the Red Bank Oratory of St. Philip Neri. The Mass was celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell C.M. Mike Ehrmann photoThe Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever. Please consider supporting this work by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION (click HERE) or making a DONATION to The Monitor (click HERE). Thank you for your support.