LEXINGTON -- Sister Catherine Bennett is grateful to have made it this far.

Sister Catherine, a Daughter of St. Paul, celebrates her 50th jubilee this year. She professed her vows in 1975. Much of the Detroit native's ministry has been spent in the Daughters' religious bookstores in Boston, New York, Toronto, Hawaii, and Alaska.

"I had always wanted to be able to help the people of God in some way, even as a child," she said.

Sister Catherine was one of the jubilarians honored at a Mass for religious women and men celebrated by Archbishop Richard G. Henning at St. Brigid Parish in Lexington on Oct. 5. The Mass was a local observance of the Jubilee of Consecrated Life, part of the Jubilee Year of 2025, which took place in Rome on Oct. 8 and 9.

"Even though we cannot be in Rome, we are united with the universal church as it celebrates our religious vocation, a vocation that belongs undeniably to the church's life and holiness," said Sister Germana Santos, the Archdiocese of Boston's delegate for the consecrated life and a Daughter of St. Paul.

In his homily, Archbishop Henning said that there are parallels between today's society and the time of the prophet Habakkuk, whose book provided one of the readings at the day's Mass.

"Violence on every side," the archbishop said. "Distraction, anger, division. Society coming apart at the seams. But even in our lives, even those of us who are disciples of the Lord, even those of us who live in consecrated life, there are so many things in this world that can pile up on us, all our responsibilities, our worries, the distractions that surround us at every moment."

He said that if people take the time to listen to God's voice in silence, they may find that "exile is not such a bad thing."

Jonathan Roumie, the star of TV's "The Chosen," expressed similar views at the Hope for Life Conference in Brighton on Oct. 4. Archbishop Henning spent much of his homily reflecting on the conference and Roumie's remarks. At the conference, a scene from "The Chosen" was shown where Jesus (Roumie) encourages St. James the Lesser to be his disciple. James, who is portrayed in "The Chosen" as having a limp, is hesitant because he doesn't understand why Jesus is healing others but not him.

"God does work miracles," Archbishop Henning said. "Many people don't get the miracle they hope and pray for, and yet they're asked, and we are asked, to place our trust in his promises, in the truth that he is not off in a distant heaven, but walking beside us on the journey of life."

He said that surrendering to God and offering oneself to the Lord, even when it is difficult to have faith, is what the consecrated life is all about.

"These are not easy things to do," he said. "You know that better than I. And so the readings today, they speak to us, they challenge us. Pay attention, listen, have humility, to know you are not God, and then trust the one who is. For he is here. He is now. He loves you."

Archbishop Henning then led the men and women religious in renewing their vows. After Mass, they gathered in the parish hall for food and fellowship.

"I'm very happy and fortunate to live this kind of life of service," said Sister Immaculate Kyampeire of the Bannabikira Sisters (Daughters of Mary) of Uganda. "I have enjoyed my 25 years, especially I've been working with young people in public schools as a teacher, and it is really fulfilling to serve, to give myself for the good of others."

Sister Immaculate lives in Peabody and teaches biology and religion at Austin Prep in Reading. Born in a village in Uganda, she came to the U.S. at age 20.

"I wanted to serve the people, especially the little children who are suffering, who have no mother, because my charism as a Daughter of Mary is to take care of children and all people," she said.

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Geraldine Burns, who is celebrating her 60th jubilee year, spent much of her ministry at Bishop Fenwick High School in Peabody. She grew up in Charlestown and attended Julie Billiart Central High School in the North End, which was run by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.

"I was inspired by how they were kind and generous and were able to teach us everything we needed for our future life," she said.

Looking back on 60 years of ministry, she said she is most proud of the relationships she formed with her students.

"They taught me as much as I think I taught them," she said. "And I'm very proud of the fact that I think I maybe had a little bit to do with how they matured and grew and hopefully grew in their religion as well."