Every year the Serra Club of Erie hosts a luncheon at the Erie Yacht Club to recognize and honor priests and religious sisters working in the diocese of Erie who are celebrating Jubilee years. This year the luncheon was unable to be held as it normally is in May, because of Covid-19. The event was re-scheduled for September but that had to be cancelled as well.
Since the Jubilarians were unable to be recognized at our event this year due to the pandemic, Dennis Deiner, president of the Serra Club of Erie, and Dave Wayman, VP of communications, met with each local order of sisters and gave them certificates recognizing their years of service to our diocese. Priests within the Erie area were given their certificates and those outside of the Erie area were mailed their certificates.
The Benedictine Sisters
The Erie Benedictine Community had six sisters celebrating a Jubilee:
Sister Judith Bohn, OSB - 60 years
Sister Jerome Eustace, OSB - 75 years
Sister Karen Kosin, OSB - 60 years
Sister Anne McGreevy, OSB - 70 years
Sister Miriam McMullen-Pastrick, OSB - 60 years
Sister Jean Wolbert, OSB - 60 years
Accepting the certificates for the sisters of her community Sister Stephanie Schmidt, prioress, thanked the Serra Club and said "In an age when commitment is becoming more and more rare, it's exceptional to see women who for 60, 70, 75 years have stayed faithful to those promises they made very early on in their lives."
Accepting the certificate from club president, Dennis Deiner, is Sister Stephanie Schmidt, prioress.
The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy had four members being honored for their service:
Sister Edith Langiotti, RSM - 70 years
Sister Mary Louis Oslick, RSM - 70 years
Sister Margaret Park, RSM - 50 years
Sister Mary Agnes Zore, RSM - 75 years
Sister Mary Ann Bader, local leader, said "I know that I speak for all the Sisters of Mercy as I congratulate our 2020 Jubilarians whose combined service totals 265 years!"
Two of the four Mercy Sisters receiving their Jubilarian recognition certificates are (from left) Sister Mary Louis Oslick, RSM and Sister Edith Langiotti, RSM.
The Sisters of St. Joseph
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania Jubilarians included these eight sisters:
Sister Marjorie Adams, SSJ - 70 years
Sister Mary Herrmann, SSJ - 60 years
Sister Agnes Marie Hughes, SSJ - 70 years
Sister Mary Claire Kennedy, SSJ - 70 years
Sister Mary Rita Kuhn, SSJ - 70 years
Sister Mary Rachel McGuire, SSJ - 80 years
Sister Geraldine Olon, SSJ - 70 years
Sister Stephanie Wagner, SSJ - 70 years
Speaking for these Jubilarians, Sister Mary Drexler, president of the community, said "They are indeed marvelous women who have given of themselves to the people of God and the diocese of Erie. We are grateful for Serra and the work they do to promote vocations."
Sisters being honored for their years of service are (from left) Sister Geraldine Olon, Sister Mary Rachel McGuire, Sister Mary Claire Kennedy, Sister Stephanie Wagner, Sister Marjorie Adams, Sister Mary Rita Kuhn, and Sister Mary Herrmann. Pictured in a separate photo to the right is Sister Agnes Marie Hughes.
Jubilarian Priests
Twelve priests of the diocese of Erie celebrated their jubilee years, along with Reverend Gerald Wright, O.M.V., who serves at St. Joseph Bread of Life parish in Erie. They are:
Rev. Raymond C. Gramata - 50 years
Rev. James J. Kennelley - 50 years
Rev. Msgr. Henry L. Krebs - 60 years
Rev. Daniel J. Kresinski - 50 years
Rev. Msgr. Henry A. Kriegel - 50 years
Rev. William J. O'Brien - 40 years
Rev. Philip M. Oriole - 50 years
Rev. Matthew J. Ruyechan - 40 years
Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Smith - 50 years
Rev. Rocco A. Tito - 65 years
Rev. Richard C. Tomasone - 40 years
Rev. John A. Walsh - 40 years
Rev. Gerald Wright, O.M.V. - 40 years
Upon receiving the certificate recognizing his years of active ministry, Rev. Philip Oriole said "I want to thank the members of the Serra Club for this certificate. Fifty years of being ordained a priest is yes, a delightful milestone. I am grateful to God."
Rev. Philip Oriole accepts a certificate recognizing his 50 years of service to the Catholic community of the diocese of Erie. Father Phil is retired and is a priest in residence at St. George Parish in Erie.
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