Ten young women professed perpetual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience as Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia Congregation in Nashville, TN on July 24, 2018.
Among those who made their Perpetual Profession was Sister Joanna Marie Collins, OP, a former parishioner of Saint Michael’s Parish, in Baulkham Hills, in the Diocese of Parramatta, and Queen of Peace parish in Normanhurst, in the Diocese of Broken Bay, in Australia.
Sister Joanna Marie is the daughter of Kerry and Barry Collins, parishioners at Saint Stephen parish in Tea Gardens, in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. Sister is a graduate of Mount Saint Benedict College, in Pennant Hills, and Australian Catholic University, where she earned a Bachelor of Education. She is currently teaching at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, in Indiana, United States.
Sister Joanna Marie OP, made her perpetual profession of vows as a Dominican Sister of Saint Cecilia Congregation in Nashville, Tennessee on July 24, 2018. Image: Supplied.
The Mass for the Rite of Perpetual Religious Profession was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville. The Reverend Andrew Hofer OP, Dominican friar from the Province of Saint Joseph was the main celebrant and the homilist.
In addition to the sisters making perpetual profession of vows, eleven young women professed their first vows of poverty, chastity and obedience with the Nashville Dominicans on July 28, 2018.
In 1860, the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia was established in Nashville, where its Motherhouse is located. The Sisters of St Cecilia are dedicated to the apostolate of Catholic education.
Ten Dominican Sisters of the St Cecilia Congregation before their perpetual profession of vows on July 24, 2017. First row: Sister Joanna, Sister Ann Thomas, Mother Anna Grace, Sister Elena Marie, Sister Delia Grace, and Sister Malia Grace. Second row: Sister Joanna Marie and Sister Anne Elise. Third row: Sister Elise, Sister Marie Genevieve, and Sister Maria Joy. Image: Supplied.
The community of 300 sisters serves in over 30 schools throughout the United States, with mission houses also in Sydney, Australia; Vancouver, British Columbia; Rome and Bracciano, Italy; Elgin, Scotland; Sittard, The Netherlands, and Limerick, Ireland. In 2018, the community opened houses in Melbourne, Australia; and Bremerton, Washington. For more information on the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia Congregation, please visit their website at www.nashvilledominican.org.
With thanks to the Dominicans.
