Bernardine Franciscan Sisters celebrating quasquicentennial in America
Submitted
SHENANDOAH – The Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, who for decades staffed the former St. Stanislaus and St. Casimir Catholic elementary schools in the borough and still remain in the community, are celebrating the 125th anniversary of the order’s arrival in America this year.
A Mass for the Bernardine Sisters’ intention will be celebrated at 10 a.m. April 28 in St. Casimir Church, 229 N. Jardin St., a sacred worship site of Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Parish. There will be a social and refreshments in St. Casimir Hall after the Mass.
The Bernardine Sisters — formally known as the Bernardine Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis — remain in Shenandoah, now housed in a convent at the southeast corner of Oak and Market streets that had been part of the former St. Stephen Roman Catholic Parish complex.
They continue some 120 years of ministering to the needs of local people. They also assist in promoting the cause of canonization for Father Walter J. Ciszek, a Shenandoah native and native son of St. Casimir Church. Ciszek’s cause for sainthood is now at the Vatican.
What at one time were six Roman Catholic parishes in Shenandoah — actually eight churches counting Our Lady of Mercy on South West Street and Holy Family along West Washington Street — have been consolidated into one, Divine Mercy.
The Bernardine Sisters, according to the parish bulletin, came from Poland to the United States 125 years ago. Five years after that, sisters were “missioned” to Shenandoah to minister to people in St. Casimir and St. Stanislaus parishes at a time when parishes were identified by their immigrant ethnic makeup — Polish, Irish, Slavic, Italian, Lithuanian, German, Lebanese/Syrian.
The Bernardine Sisters taught at both St. Casimir and St. Stanislaus schools and then at the former Father Walter J. Ciszek School, the combined Shenandoah parochial elementary school. Today, the Ciszek school’s successor, Trinity Academy at the Father Walter J. Ciszek Education Center, Cherry and Chestnut streets, is the sole parochial pre-k through eighth-grade school for all of northern Schuylkill County.
“While in Shenandoah the (Bernardine) sisters visited the sick, took care of the Sanctuary of the churches and assisted the pastors in the care of people,” according to the parish bulletin announcement congratulating the order. During that time, more than 100 girls and young women from the area went to the Bernardine Sisters Mother House in Reading to “consider a vocation to this dynamic and vibrant religious community,
“We thank God for the many blessings that have come through us through the work of all the Bernardine Sisters who have been in Shenandoah, and continue to be blessed by their presence and ministries,” according to the congratulatory announcement.
Monsignor Ronald C. Bocian is pastor of Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Parish and Father Charles J. Dene is a priest in residence. For more information, call the Divine Mercy office, 108 W. Cherry St., at 570-462-1968 or email to [email protected].
About Author
