Our 5th Grade School Teacher, Miss Zoe Copeland, has been working tirelessly to bring consecrated priests and religious into our school for National Vocations Awareness Week (Nov. 5 – 11). I am so thankful for her efforts, and they have gotten me thinking again about what a loss it is that we no longer have women religious in Whatcom County. I am sad every time I remember that we used to have a convent standing on our grounds and women religious teaching in our school. Men and women are not complete without each other and, though I hold with the Church’s magisterium that the Lord only called men into the priesthood, the ministerial environment is not complete without women. The dynamic between the priests and the women religious at a parish is beautiful and fruitful and so much healthier for the People of God. I hope you will join me in praying for a significant increase in the number of women called to the religious life, so that we can enjoy their presence on our campus once again.
In that vein, I would like to highlight some women religious with a connection to Whatcom County.
Sr. Julie Benedicta Turner, FSP – a “Daughter of Saint Paul” whom I first met when I was a priest in La Conner, where her mother lived; I would see her when she would come home to visit family. Her mother has since moved to and started working in Whatcom County, so I still get to see her about once a year. You can learn about her order here, see a video reflection she gave here, or listen to her podcast here. She is currently assigned to the Daughters’ Provincial House in Boston.
Sr. Cecilia Maria of The Body of Christ, CP – A “Passionist Nun” whose last secular job was as the music director here at Assumption. Her family lives here in Whatcom County, but because she is a cloistered nun she will only leave her monastery in Kentucky for rare events like family deaths. I have only met her twice. You can read about her order here and her vocation story here.
Sr. Maura Clare Mayock, RSM – a “Religious Sister of Mercy of Alma Michigan,” I met Sr. Maura when she was still a student at WWU in 2014. Her parents live in Whatcom County, so you might see her around when she is home on family visits. She is currently serving as the Director of the Office of Religious Education and Evangelization for the Diocese of Lake Charles in Louisiana. You can read about her order here. Please note that we have a community of RSM sisters living in our Archdiocese on Shaw Island (link). I am sure they would love for you to visit them on one of their Saturday Work Days.
Honorable Mentions: I should also highlight the order of Benedictine nuns who also live on Shaw Island, the recent Western grad who is pursuing religious life, and the SDSH Sisters who are the ones who inspired in Miss Copeland her love for women religious.
If I missed anyone with connections to Whatcom County, please let me know!
Fr. Moore 