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Special to Horizons
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — The Sisters of St. Basil the Great gathered July 30, in a spirit of joy and gratitude, to celebrate this year’s six diamond jubilarians and their years of dedicated service to God and the church.
Over the years, each jubilarian in her own way expressed her commitment to be a praying, healing and life-giving presence in the Byzantine Catholic Church in the United States.
75th ANNIVERSARY
Sister Mary Ann Vasilchek celebrates 75 years as a Basilian this year. Sisters from the monastery celebrated with her at Mount Macrina Manor, since failing health did not allow her to attend the celebration at the monastery.
In the Manor Chapel, an abbreviated service of the Akathist to Our Mother of Perpetual Help was sung by the sisters, after which they gathered in the Oaks Dining Room to congratulate Sister Mary Ann, enjoy refreshments and share stories.
70th ANNIVERSARY
Sister Theodosia Alishofski, Sister Theresa Bavol, and Sister Petronilla Puhak marked 70 years of joyful service as Sisters of St. Basil. They served mostly as teachers in parish schools, before moving on to parish or pastoral ministry.
Sister Theodosia is currently serving in parish ministry in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and surrounding parishes. Her primary ministry is visiting the sick, though she is also involved in catechetical ministry. Sister Theodosia’s gift as an iconographer is evident in the many icons that decorate the monastery.
After serving in parish schools for close to 50 years, Sister Theresa and Sister Petronilla are currently sharing their gifts of compassionate care at Mount Macrina Manor. There, each sister brings a ray of light to the residents who look forward to their presence. This same spirit also brings comfort to the families of residents, especially when they are facing the end of life.
60th ANNIVERSARY
Sister Elaine Kisinko and Sister Carol Petrasovich also began religious life in education, serving as both teachers and principals for a number of years. After teaching, they moved on to other and varied ministries, including serving on the Provincial Council.
Sister Elaine currently serves as secretary to Metropolitan Archbishop William C. Skurla of Pittsburgh, the third archbishop for whom she has served as secretary. Sister Elaine is also the copy editor of Byzantine Catholic World, the newspaper of the archeparchy.
Sister Carol, whose background is in formative spirituality, is the director of the Basilian Sisters’ House of Prayer on Mount St. Macrina. The main focus of this ministry includes offering individual spiritual direction, retreats and workshops. Sister Carol also coordinates the annual pilgrimage to the mount.
The epistle read at the Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving for the jubilarian sisters was from the First Letter to the Corinthians in which St. Paul speaks of the gifts of the Spirit.
At the festive dinner that followed the liturgy, Sister Ruth Plante, provincial of the community, congratulated the jubilarians and thanked them for so generously offering the treasures of their gifts throughout these many years.
Sister Ruth wished that each sister could now draw interest from this treasury, as they continue to be a praying, healing and life-giving presence.
Caption: Sister Ruth Plante, provincial (back row, center), poses for a photo with five of the six diamond jubilarians feted this year. (Front row, l. to r).: Sisters Petronilla Puhak, Theodosia Alishofski and Theresa Bavol. (Back row): Sisters Elaine Kisinko (left) and Carol Petrasovich flank Sister Ruth. Sister Mary Ann Vasilchek, who celebrated 75 years of religious life and currently resides in in the infirmary, Mount Macrina Manor, is not pictured. (Photo courtesy of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great)
As published in Horizons, Aug. 25, 2019.
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