Byzantine Serra Club stages long-overdue day of sincere appreciation
by Kathe Kress
Sister Margaret Kapusnak, OSBM is elated as she reads the Certificate of Appreciation presented to her and also to each of her religious colleagues on behalf of the Byzantine Serra Club. The certificates were awarded in recognition of the years of service dedicated by each honoree.
The Year of Consecrated Life – declared by Pope Francis to commence on November 30, 2014 – closed in 2016 on February 2, the World Day of Consecrated Life. The Byzantine Catholic Serra Club chose this year to honor 44 religious, including Basilian and Benedictine Sisters, and monks of Holy Trinity Monastery on Sunday May 22. This day of appreciation began with a prayer service in the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great Monastery Chapel at Mount St. Macrina, in Uniontown, Pa. followed by a catered dinner served in the Monastery dining room.
These consecrated religious who were honored collectively have served our Metropolitan Church for over 2,515 years, and the Byzantine Serrans thought that a time of appreciation was long overdue.
Of the 44 honored, 28 were able to celebrate with us, including 26 Basilian Sisters from Mount Saint Macrina, Sister Marion Dobos of the Byzantine Benedictine Sisters from Warren, Ohio and Abbot Leo Schlosser from Holy Trinity Monastery. Byzantine Serra Club President Patricia Bovee presented each honoree with a certificate of appreciation, which indicated the years served by each religious community member. Certificates were sent or carried to those who could not be present for the event. Pictures were taken and Serrans mingled with the honorees.
Honored
Those honored included the following, from Mount St. Macrina:
Sr. Regina Adams
Sr. Theodosia Alishofski
Sr. Margaret Ann Andrako
Sr. Theresa Bavol
Sr. Sylvia Burnett
Sr. Vladimir Chabala
Sr. Jean Marie Cihota
Sr. Janet Decker
Sr. Valeria Evanyo
Sr. Margaret Fedyszak
Sr. Susan Harvey
Sr. Agnes Herbenick
Sr. Monica Husovich
Sr. Margaret Kapusnak
Sr. Rita Keshock
Sr. Elaine Kisinko
Sr. Euphemia Kopa
Sr. Joanne Lickvar
Sr. Christopher Malcovsky
Sr. Gertrude Martin
Sr. Martha Moyta
Sr. Barbara Jean Mihalchick
Sr. Helen Millow
Sr. Seraphim Olsafsky
Sr. Melita Marie Penchalk
Sr. Carol Petrasovich
Sr. Ruth Plante
Sr. Petronilla Puhak
Sr. Bernarda Sevachko
Sr. Leocadia Sevachko
Sr. Helen Schott
Sr. Mary Grace Skuban
Sr. Barbara Swindells
Sr. Josifa Šimová
Sr. Susan Sisko
Sr. Elizabeth Jane Tepley
Sr. Dolores Ann Vanischak
Sr. Salome Yanochko
Benedictine Sisters from Warren, Ohio honored:
Sr. Marion Dobos
Sr. Mary Martha Kacmarek
Sr. Agnes Knapik
Sr. Barbara Pavlik
Holy Trinity Monastery honorees included Abbot Leo Schlosser and Brother Michael Zetzer.
There were many smiles and shared memories on the Mount for all in attendance.
The mission of the Byzantine Catholic Serra Club is “to foster, affirm, promote and support, by prayer and deed, vocations to the priestly and diaconal ministries and to the consecrated life, in the Byzantine Catholic Church.” The club meets monthly during the academic year and holds activities that welcome and support seminarians and religious. For more information, contact Patricia Bovee, Club President, (412-462-6385) or Sam Barone, Vice PresidentMembership, (412) 678-9453.
Gathered for a photo at the Sisters of St. Basil Monastery dining hall, members of the Sisters of St. Basil, the Byzantine Benedictine Sisters, and Holy Trinity Monastery were recognized May 22 by the Byzantine Serra Club, which celebrated a day of recognition and thanks in their honor.
Enjoying refreshments are (from left) Sr. Petronilla Puhak, Sr. Salome Yanochko, Sr. Euphemia Kopa, Fr. Valerian Michlik, Sr. Gertrude Martin, Sr. Theresa Bavol.
photos by Kathe Kress
