Inspired by the three-year Eucharistic Revival, over 100 religious sisters gathered at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis in Missouri to adore Our Lord a beautiful Eucharistic procession.
The event was part of the annual National Assembly for the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) held from Sept. 21-24, 2023. CMSWR is a conference of major superiors of religious sisters in the United States, approved and established by the Holy See in 1992.
The year’s National Assembly garnered 76 religious sisters from 48 member communities. The Eucharistic Revival inspired the theme, Starting Afresh from Christ: Pathway to Eucharistic Revival.
During the event, the sisters heard talks from Sister Maris Stella Karalekas of the Sisters of Life, Father Ken Geraci of the Fathers of Mercy, and Sister Alicia Torres of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist of Chicago, who serves on the Executive Team for the National Eucharistic Revival.
“These talks helped sisters reflect more deeply on their vocation as consecrated women who are brides of Christ and called to foster greater communion in our world,” CMSWR told ChurchPOP.
As part of this event, CMSWR invited religious sisters across the St. Louis, Mo. area to attend the Eucharistic procession at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Over 100 local sisters attended.
The evening included Eucharistic adoration, a procession, and Vespers. The sisters also enjoyed silent prayer and sang traditional hymns and chants.
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Sister Anne Catherine Burleigh, O.P., the Vicar of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, is a CMSWR board member. She referred to the Eucharistic procession and holy hour as the “most moving part of the weekend.”
“The Basilica is stunning, and the procession behind Our Lord in the monstrance reminded us that our whole life, especially as consecrated religious, is a pilgrimage back to the Father, following in the footsteps of our Savior and the Bridegroom of our souls, Jesus Christ.”
Mother Mary Christa Nutt, R.S.M., the Major Superior of the Religious Sisters of Mercy in Alma, Mich., is also a CMSWR board member. She said the holy hour “was a special time to meditate on Our Lord in the Eucharist.”
“I think that our prayer of adoration was especially uplifted by the beauty of the cathedral, the heavenly voices of the schola, and the union of prayer amongst so many of the major superiors of religious communities in the United States,” Sister Nutt said.
“Such an experience of prayer before the Lord helps to remind us that we are both soul and body, and our minds are helped by the senses to reach the Triune God.”
