Jubilarians

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange rejoice in gratitude for the gift of our Jubilarians and their response to God's call. (Above: 2007 Jubilarians; Below: 2008 Jubilarians)

Sister Anita Marie Lopez
Sister Carmen Sarati
Sister Flo Bovy
Sister Jo Ann Eannareno
Sister Joyce Anne Thomas
Sister Judith Dugan
Sister Judith Royer
Sister Karen Wilkins
Sister Kathleen Jagers
Sister Kathleen McCuistion
Sister Lorraine Thibault
Sister Madeleva Williams
Sister Mary Geneva Bonhote
Sister Miriam Eckery
Sister Patricia Hanson
Sister Patricia Haley
Sister Rebecca Rodriguez
Sister Sheila McCarthy
Sister Stella Marie Yee
Sister Teresa Dolores Montanez
Sister Vivian Strymecki

70th Jubilee

Sister Vivian Strymecki

"How blessed and happy I am for 70 years to be with, and to be one, as a Sister of St. Joseph of Orange!"

60th Jubilee

Sister Anita Marie Lopez

“I’m very happy to have reached my 60th Jubilee year. I rejoice in the gifts God has given me. I am pleased to be involved in the ministries of prayer and visiting the sisters at Regina Residence. I have much to be grateful for.”

Sister Carmen Sarati

“The variety and extent of experiences and learnings throughout 60 years leads me to believe strongly in the explosive power of the Spirit! – Always a challenge, always movement and trust. Life as a CSJ has been truly an explosion of graces for many things so far!”

Sister Joyce Anne Thomas

“I’m deeply grateful for the chance to have served the Lord in reasonably good health for 60 years. I’ve been able to console, to understand, to love, and to give through 52 years of teaching and 45 years of helping family and friends in whatever way possible. God has reached out to so many through me.”

Sister Karen Wilkins

“Two banners that hang in my room speak of my heart’s desire: ‘Love. You are loved because He first loved us,’ and ‘Sing a new song, let all the earth shout for joy.’ I have tried to live my life in praise of the Lord. As a Sister of St. Joseph of Orange, this has continued to be my desire. In ministry and service to my sisters and others, I have found great joy in creating things that made them happy.”

Sister Lorraine Thibault

“It does not seem possible that 60 years have passed since I took the train from San Francisco to Orange to begin my life as a Sister of St. Joseph of Orange. I want to say that the most significant event in my life was to have been called by God to serve the dear neighbor as a Sister of St. Joseph of Orange.”

Sister Madeleva Williams

"Throughout these 60 years, occasionally I heard 'Everything is gift.'" In many ways this is the best way for me to comment on my Jubilee. Like gifts, there are unwrappings and as they unfold, the gift is revealed. A variety of things emerge, which many know as the mix of life: confusion, delight, puzzlement, sorrow, joy, tears and a great deal of kindness, humor and laughter. Perhaps I've needed all these years to catch on to the wonder of my call to the Sisters of St. Joseph. The French have a saying when expressing the inexpressible: 'Le Bon Dieu,' The Good God. And still I am 'unwrapping.'"

Sister Miriam Eckery

“I thank God to be celebrating my 60th Jubilee. The credit for my perseverance goes to God and Our Lady watching over me. I have been so blessed.”

Sister Patricia Hanson

“Looking back now, after 60 years of religious life, I realize how God’s providence has guided me throughout my whole life. My community has been God’s blessing to me and for this I am grateful.”

Sister Sheila McCarthy

These rollercoaster years of religious life have been wonderful and challenging times. Looking back brings the grace of gratitude for my years of healthcare ministry. I love being in contact with the people at St. Joseph Hospital. I know that God’s grace continuously opens doors. This celebration is God’s gift not just for me but for others.”

Sister Stella Marie Yee

“I can truly say that throughout my 45 years of teaching, there is not one class that I didn’t enjoy. In particular, my 5-1/2 years teaching in Papua New Guinea afforded me the privilege of teaching a different group of indigenous students each year, children in grade school, high school and adults in Teachers’ Training College. What a blessing to have had that experience!”

50th Jubilee

Sister Flo Bovy

“My 50 years as a Sisters of St. Joseph have been filled with so much joy, happiness and enthusiasm for my Lord. I’ve been so blessed by God in numerous ways. I thank my Lord for the great gift of my vocation to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange and how I’m still able to serve my Lord.”

Sister Jo Ann Eannareno

“One part of Scripture has baffled me for many of these 50 years. It comes from the Gospel of St. John and reads: ‘You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures.’ My question has always been, ‘Why me?’ I don’t know the answer, but I know what feelings it has evoked over time. In a word, that is gratitude! I am most grateful to God for His enduring love and companionship, grateful to my family for who I really am, and grateful to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange for the opportunities to be among them for 50 years, and to minister in many fruit orchards.”

Sister Judith Dugan

It is with deep gratitude to God, my family and my community that I celebrate the 50th jubilee of my religious life. I have been blessed with a strong education and many various opportunities to use the gifts God has given me. Through each and every experience I have been blessed with strong faith given to me by my parents and nurtured by family, CSJ Community and the people I meet everyday. How can I repay the Lord for His goodness to me?

Sister Judith Royer

"Hard to believe! Where did all those years go?"

Sister Kathleen Jagers

“This jubilee year has been filled so much with God’s gifting the very moment it turned 2008. My years as a Sister of St. Joseph have been filled with sufferings and joys that brought about self knowledge, personal and spiritual growth and great inner freedom and joy. I’m so glad God called me by name.”

Sister Kathleen McCuistion

“Religious life is an active life – full of changes – 50 years of change. With all the changes, there remains personal time for prayer and to be renewed for serving the dear neighbor. I treasure all of the experiences of the past 50 years and give thanks to my God.”

Sister Patricia Haley

“I wouldn’t trade this life for any other. I am very confident that the call from God comes every day to me and to others to let even one person know of His great love.”

Sister Rebecca Rodriguez

I give thanks to God for 50 years of religious life. My experiences have been varied, challenging, difficult and rewarding. We all thought we knew what sisterhood was more or less about in 1958, but the changes that have occurred have been phenomenal. I know I would have been a different person had I not entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, and with this vocation I've encountered the constant graces of God.

Sister Teresa Dolores Montanez

"The years went quickly. I still remember saying that 2008 would be a long time coming."

25th Jubilee

Sister Mary Geneva Bonhote

“I think the greatest thing I can say is Thank you! Thank you to God and my parents for the gift of life; thank you to the Sisters of St. Joseph and to my parents for Catholic Education; thank you to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange for great joy and happiness and for allowing me to answer the call I heard from God at a very early age to join them. I love all my sisters very much and I am grateful to be a part of this beautiful group of women.”