On Saturday, October 17, 2026, sisters, relatives and friends gathered to celebrate the jubilees of religious life of Mother Georgeanna, Sister Marina and Sister Susanne.
The day began with a Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving at Holy Trinity Chapel, celebrated by Rev. John Ciurpita, chaplain. The responses were sung by the sisters.
Following the Divine Liturgy, attendees offered personal congratulations to each jubilarian before gathering in the dining room for a special celebration.
Sister Dorothy Ann, who served as emcee, opened the program with a prayer and a toast recognizing the unique gifts of each sister:
"To the beautiful soul who makes every day a little brighter simply by being yourself, Mother Georgeanna. Your smile and your presence are a gift to the Church and to us."
"To the sister who makes ordinary days extraordinary, Sister Marina. Thank you for being a pillar of strength and a person of vision throughout your years of service to the community and the Church."
"To the artist who has brought beauty and creativity into our lives, Sister Susanne. We thank you for sharing the beauty of life through your artistic gifts, brightening our surroundings and our lives with color and images."
Sister Dolores offered congratulations to Mother Georgeanna, reflecting on her journey in religious life, which took her from Europe to Fox Chase, Astoria and Middletown before bringing her full circle back to Fox Chase.
Before founding the cloistered community with Sister Therese, Sister Aurelia and Sister Eustachia, Mother Georgeanna taught at St. George Elementary School in New York City. Her many talents and contributions included gardening, sewing vestments, baking altar bread, assisting in the preparation of Holy Chrism and tutoring students.
Sister Ann, Provincial Superior, congratulated Sister Susanne, highlighting her many talents, personal qualities and years of dedicated service: "We honor you today; we thank God for the gift of your vocation. We thank you for your fidelity, your generosity, your dedication, and your inspiring example. We thank you for the sacrifices you have made, the challenges you have overcome, and the many ways you have allowed God's light to shine through you. We thank you for the gift of your artistic talent that you shared with your students and with us during the festive seasons."
Sister Susanne entered the community in September 1961 and made her religious profession in 1964. She subsequently taught at Immaculate Conception School in Hamtramck, Michigan; SS. Cyril and Methodius School in Olyphant, Pennsylvania; St. Basil Home in Philadelphia and St. Nicholas School in Philadelphia.
From 1973 to 2020, Sister Susanne taught at St. Basil Academy, instilling in generations of students a love for Ukrainian traditions and art.
Sister Marina entered the community in 1951 from St. Michael's Parish in Yonkers, New York. Following her religious profession in 1956, she served at St. John the Baptist in Syracuse, New York; St. Vladimir in Arnold, Pennsylvania; Immaculate Conception in Hamtramck, Michigan; St. Nicholas in Chicago, Illinois; St. Josaphat in Philadelphia and St. George in New York City.
In 1975, Sister Marina attended the Institute for Spiritual Leadership in Chicago. From 1976 to 1987, she served as Directress of Novices in Fox Chase. Following a program at the Wernersville Jesuit Spirituality Center, she was appointed to the Basilian Pastoral Ministry Team, serving from 1989 to 1997.
In 1997, Sister Marina became Director of the newly opened Spirituality Center in Fox Chase, a position she held until 2015.
In her message to Sister Marina, Sister Ann reflected on her years of faithful service and dedication to religious life:
"Your life has been a daily response to God's love. Religious life is not always an easy journey. As Ecclesiastes tells us, there are moments of joy and moments of difficulty, moments of strength and moments when one must lean more deeply on God's grace. Yet, through it all, your perseverance reminds us that the God who calls us is also the God who sustains us and is with us always.
Today we celebrate not simply the number of years you have spent in religious life, but the many lives you have touched at the Basilian Spirituality Center, Pastoral Ministry Office in Pittsburgh and the many parishes where you served - which I won't enumerate. Your presence has been a blessing to our community, our Order, the Church, and all those privileged to know you."
The celebration concluded with a festive meal prepared by the sisters' kitchen staff, providing an opportunity for fellowship and gratitude for the jubilarians' many years of faithful service to the Church and their religious community.
