Photos from Sr. Miriam Esther's First Profession!

As promised, here are some photos from our Sr. Miriam Esther’s wedding day with Jesus Crucified — enjoy!

(Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Wong Barnstead, Diocese of Owensboro)

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Entrance Rites and Liturgy of the Word

Zoe, the sister of Sr. Miriam Esther, provided a beautiful flute prelude and also accompanied some of the hymns for Mass

The entrance procession, accompanied by “What Wondrous Love is This.” L-R : Bishop Medley, Fr. Martin Martiny OP, Fr. Lou Caporiccio CPM, Fr. John Schork CP, Owensboro seminarian Hunter LeBlanc

Our Sister organists did a fantastic job throughout the Mass!

Praying the Confiteor

“I will sing and make music to the Lord!”

Sr. Maria Faustina, CP, read the First Reading from the Song of Songs

Sr. Miriam Esther’s other sister, Ingrid, reads the Second Reading from 1 Corinthians

Fr. John Schork, CP, uses incense before proclaiming the Gospel from John 15

The rite of calling: before the homily, Bishop Medley calls by name the Sister to be professed. She expresses her desire to make Passionist vows in a spirit of humble obedience to God’s Will.

Some of Sr. Miriam Esther’s family, L-R: Chris and Carol (parents), Ingrid (sister), Joanie (aunt)

Fr. Martin Martiny, OP (the prior at Sr. Miriam Esther’s Dominican parish in Louisville) gave a beautiful homily on the importance of cloistered life and the interwoven histories of the Dominicans and the Passionists.

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Profession Rite

“I, Sister Miriam Esther of the Sacred Heart … vow to promote devotion to and grateful remembrance of the Passion and death of Jesus Christ … I also vow chastity, poverty, obedience, and to live in enclosure for three years …”

Receiving the black veil of a professed Passionist Nun

Mother John Mary places the distinctive Passion Sign on the habit and mantle of our newly-professed Sister

Receiving the Profession Crucifix from Bishop Medley

“Receive, dear Sister, the Cross and crown of thorns of Our Lord Jesus Christ …”

Sr. Miriam Esther sings the Latin “Magnificat” — Our Lady’s hymn of praise — as her proud parents look on

Come, Spouse of Christ!

Sister Frances Marie leads the General Intercessions

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Liturgy of the Eucharist

Offertory procession with the newly-professed, her parents, and her Novice Directress, Sr. Mary Veronica

We were delighted to have Bishop Medley here to celebrate the Eucharist for Sr. Miriam Esther’s Profession!

“Through Him, with Him, and in Him, O God Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is Yours, forever and ever!”

A special sisterly moment at the Sign of Peace

Now that’s one proud papa!

Closing procession, accompanied by “O God Beyond All Praising” (in this picture, you can see our other two seminarian servers: Christopher French of Owensboro and Dennis Trickey of Springfield)

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Reception

Community photo with Bishop Medley

Ready to receive visitors in the parlor!

Admiring a gift from an enthusiastic aspiring Passionist. Maybe she’ll be on the other side of the wall one of these years …

Sisters Mary Andrea and Maria Faustina greet guests

One friend even brought her 3-week-old daughter! A future Passionist, perhaps?

Sharing a mother-daughter moment

This family has a special place in our Sr. Miriam Esther’s heart — they were the ones who first brought her to visit the monastery back in 2014!