This Sunday was a glorious day at Assumption Ukrainian Catholic Church in Perth Amboy, NJ, as our Sr. Maria Veronica of Jesus professed her solemn vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and Marian consecration.
The vows were taken after reading of the Holy Gospel during the Divine Liturgy and in front of Most Rev. Andriy Rabiy, Auxiliary Bishop for Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and the Mother Mary of the Immaculate Conception Ambrogio, the Provincial Superior of the Sisters Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará. Present at the Liturgy were Fr. Alberto Barattero, IVE, the Provincial Superior of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, Fr. Ivan Turyk, Pastor of Assumption Church, alongside many religious sisters, guests and parishioners. Sister Veronica was especially grateful for the presence and support of Major Superiors of Women’s Ukrainian Religious Congregations in the USA, Sr. Eliane Ilnitski, SSMI, the Provincial of the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Conception and Mother Maria Kelly M.S.M.G, Superior of the Missionary Sisters of the Mother of God.
At the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the beautiful symbols – the ring of espousal with Jesus, the white crown of flowers, the lighted candle and the Constitution of the Sisters Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará were presented to the newly professed. The rite of perpetual profession also included the prostration of Sister during the Litany, the pronouncement of the handwritten formula of vows into the hands of the Provincial Mother Superior, the signing of the document of the vows, and greeting by other perpetually professed members of the community. The final profession of Sr. Veronica was like a wedding day, because consecrating her life entirely to God through life-long vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, Sister accepted a vocational call to become a bride of Jesus Christ.
The solemn ceremony was followed by a beautiful reception at our school hall.
Photos by John Baginsky and some by our parishioners.