The Californian Region had the great joy of celebrating Sr. Kathleen Newell’s 75th anniversary as a Sister of Charity on January 26th. Sisters celebrated with Kathleen and attended a special Mass with all Jubiliarians in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles at the Cathedral.
The sisters in the Region wondered if Kathleen might be the Jubiliarian with the most longevity but there were two other women religious celebrating their 80th anniversary! The celebrations for Kathleen continued at a dinner following the liturgy and Kathleen said that she was overwhelmed by the celebration and had not expected it to be such “a big deal”!
At her age of grace and wisdom, 93, Kathleen continues to drive to Mass and is available to take communion to the sick. She also writes the community annals, cares lovingly for the garden and ministers to the lonely, the grieving, and to a prisoner to whom she has been writing since 1983. Kathleen phones these people, some of whom are in other parts of the U.S. and provides a ministry of presence. One survivor of an attempted forced marriage situation (which is considered human trafficking in the US) has received Kathleen’s listening ear and wisdom, while she and her daughter took refuge in one of our communities for a short time. Sr Margaret Farrell was able to help her and her children work towards freedom and stability. Both Kathleen and Margaret continue to be present to this young Moslem woman.
