[Ed. -- The Sisters of Jesus Crucified and the Sorrowful Mother celebrated their centennial at their Brockton convent on Sept. 15, 2024. Cardinal O'Malley was the principal celebrant of the Mass. The Sisters, their guests, and area clergy joined the celebration and the festive dinner following. The following address explains the Sisters' mission.]



I am honored to welcome you to the 100th anniversary celebration of the founding of our congregation: The Sisters of Jesus Crucified and the Sorrowful Mother. Each of you present tonight has contributed to our reaching this momentous milestone in serving God's people and we are grateful.

In the late 19th century, a young man named Julius Urbonavicius was forced to escape Lithuania due to oppressive Czarist Russian Rule in his home country. Fleeing from oppression, political dissent, and denial of basic freedoms, Julius journeyed to America and joined the Passionist Congregation, a religious order with ministries in Scranton, Penn. He became known as Father Alphonsus Maria Urbonavicius, CP.

Early in the 20th century, many of his fellow Lithuanians also began to flee their home country for the United States. Father Alphonsus witnessed the struggle these immigrants had in this new country, and he knew that he must help them to survive.

In 1924, he founded the Sisters of Jesus Crucified and the Sorrowful Mother to serve the poor, the homeless, the orphans, and the widowed who came to this country with no resources. His goal was to bring them hope and consolation through the Cross of Our Lord.

We, the Sisters of Jesus Crucified, dedicated ourselves to serving the marginalized in the surrounding towns of Pennsylvania, and the congregation began to flourish. In 1945, we began a new chapter in the Sisters of Jesus Crucified when we moved our Motherhouse to Brockton.

With the help of many Lithuanian priests and compassionate benefactors who believed in our mission, we began to expand our works. We were able to build two nursing homes, and an assisted living facility. Our Sisters devoted themselves to caring for the sick and the elderly. Other Sisters found their calling in being teachers for the young throughout the Northeast.

Our missions could not have been possible without our founding Sisters and our generous benefactors, many of whom have gone before us, but whom we will never forget.

So, as we gather here tonight, let us pause and reflect upon the immense dedication and unwavering faith that has led us to this occasion. A century of service, a century of compassion and a century of bringing God's love and grace to those who need it most.

It is our honor to have our celebration coincide with the feast of the Sorrowful Mother, a symbol of patient endurance and unwavering faith in the face of unfathomable suffering. She serves as a reminder of the strength and courage it takes to walk a path of service, to surrender ourselves to His Holy Will in the name of love and sacrifice.

As we celebrate 100 years of service, let us remember the words of St. Teresa of Kolkata: "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love for the Glory of God and the service of his people."