UNIONTOWN, Pa. — Amid the flurry of activities and the full schedule planned for the annual Community Days in July at Mount St. Macrina, there is always time to celebrate. This summer four sisters joyfully marked significant milestones in their lives as Sisters of St. Basil. As the second-oldest member of the community, Sister Gertrude Martin, celebrated her diamond jubilee.
Since Sister Gertrude resides at the Manor, the other sisters joined her there in a celebration on the Monday of Community Days. After singing two odes of the Akathist to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a social was held in the Manor’s Oaks Dining Room where Sister Gertrude received the congratulations, gifts and well-wishes.
The sisters gathered in the Chapel for a Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving Tuesday afternoon, celebrated by the monastery chaplain, Father Peter Leigh, for all the Jubilarians. Sister Christopher Malcovsky celebrated her 70th anniversary, and Sisters Monica Husovich and Agnes Herbenick celebrated their 60th anniversaries.
Sister Gertrude (Irene) Martin, who celebrates 75 years of religious life, entered the community from St. John the Cathedral Parish in Munhall, Pennsylvania. She spent 33 years forming young minds and morals as a teacher mostly in the primary grades in parish schools in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Indiana. Her teaching apostolate included 12 years as principal. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Misericordia College in Dallas, Pennsylvania.
From 1975 to 1980, while teaching, she was a member of the provincial council. During the latter half of this term, she moved from teaching to serve as assistant house director at the monastery. Sister Gertrude was then assigned as administrator of St. Basil’s Home, from 1980 to 1986. A brief return to teaching took her to St. Mary Assumption Church, in Trenton, New Jersey, for three years. Sister Gertrude was a familiar face as the manager of the religious gift shop at Mount St. Macrina for a good number of years. Presently, she resides at Mount Macrina Manor.
Sister Christopher Malcovsky entered the community from St. Mary Parish in Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania. Her first years were spent as a teacher and principal. She then served as Motherhouse Superior and was elected as provincial superior for two terms. After a sabbatical year, Sister Christopher served in various capacities, assisting with the organizational work in the Eparchy of Van Nuys (now Phoenix), and helping at Mount Macrina Manor and the House of Prayer. In 1983, Sister Christopher was elected as general superior, serving in Rome for six years.
From 1991 to 2008, Sister Christopher served in the Eparchy of Van Nuys as pastoral associate, first at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Van Nuys, California, and then at St. Stephen Pro-Cathedral in Phoenix. Additionally, she also managed the apartment complex at St. Stephen’s. Presently, Sister Christopher resides at the monastery; she assists part-time in the religious gift shop and, otherwise, generously offers her services wherever needed.
Sister Monica Husovich entered the Sisters of St. Basil from St. Mary Parish in Freeland, Pennsylvania. She served as both teacher and principal in parish schools principally in Pennsylvania, but also in Indiana and Ohio.
Sister Monica also taught at Byzantine Catholic High School in Parma, Ohio. While teaching in northeastern Pennsylvania, she served as a member of the Catechetical Board for the Eparchy of Passaic.
Sister Monica then served on the staff of Mount Macrina Manor, first in the business office, and later as admissions and resident coordinator. Following her retirement from the Manor, Sister Monica kept busy taking the monastery sisters for their appointments as needed; she also faithfully takes care of posting the prayer requests sent to the community.
Sister Agnes Herbenick entered from St. John Parish in Lyndora, Pennsylvania. Her principal ministry was in the educational field, serving as a teacher in parish schools in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey and Ohio. For 25 years, she guided eighth graders at St. Mary School in Cleveland, Ohio.
Sister Agnes’ other assignments included catechetical ministry in Binghamton, New York; postulant directress for the community, and a member of the Mount Macrina Manor Board of Directors.
After retiring from teaching, Sister Agnes returned to the monastery, where today, she serves as a sacristan. In addition, she works part time in pastoral ministry at Mount Macrina Manor.
Caption:
The Sisters of St. Basil gathered in their monastery chapel to celebrate their jubilarians last month. Three of the four jubilarians are pictured, l. to r., Sister Monica Husovich, Sister Christopher Malcovsky and Sister Agnes Herbenick. (Photo courtesy of the Sisters of St. Basil)
As published in Horizons, Aug. 26, 2018. Sign up for the Horizons e-newsletter.