Dear Friends in Christ,

I greet you from my Motherhouse in Alma, MI where I am on medical leave and am working remotely on a part-time basis to focus on my healing. I thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support. During this time of healing, I have received an abundance of letters, get well cards, Masses and prayers. With confidence in your prayers, I know that they are strengthening me as Our Lord accompanies me and heals me more each day. It has been a time of being docile to the will of God with trust and surrender. This sacred time (which was so unexpected) has been a great grace and blessing for me. There is no better place than to be in the palm of God’s healing hand. I am healing well and praying for all of you.

Blessed Feast of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus! She is a dear friend of mine, and I celebrate her life and vocation with you with great joy! Here is a quote of hers about heaven that inspires me to become a saint:

“That we will not meet indifferent looks there (in Heaven) because all the elect there will recognize that they are indebted among themselves to one another graces which shall have merited the crown for them. As a mother is proud of her children, so shall we be proud of one another, with the least jealousy.”

This past September 25, at Most Holy Trinity Parish Hall, there was a special gathering to welcome the new Religious Communities and Sisters that have recently moved to the Diocese of Phoenix. Since 2017, there have been 5 new Religious Communities that have established new foundations in our Diocese:

• The Carmelite Sisters of St. Teresa from Kerala, India serving at St. Mary-Basha School and Sr. Mary’s Parish, Chandler;
• The Eucharistic Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Los Angeles serving in Cottonwood and Sedona;
• Las Misioneras del la Misercordia del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus from Parral, Mexico at St. Matthew’s Parish;
• The Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary from Miami, FL serving at Bourgade Catholic High School and Holy Spirit Newman Center at Grand Canyon University;
• The Sisters of Life who have recently arrived establishing themselves at St. Agnes Convent in Phoenix.

There are also new Sisters who have moved to Phoenix of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, MI, the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, the Society of Our Lady of the Trinity, the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia from Nashville Tennessee, the Dominicans of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, the Servants of the Plan of God, the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Missionaries of Charity. Not all of these Sisters were gathered together, but many of them were for a potluck dinner to get to know each other. They had a fantastic evening in which many friendships blossomed and new faces warmly welcomed.

Here are photos from this beautiful gathering of welcoming our new Religious Sisters:

Thank you for granting me the privilege of sharing these photos with you of your beloved Sisters! Welcome to all new Religious Sisters who have recently arrived in Phoenix. We are so blessed to have you be among us!

With prayers,

Sister Anthony Mary Diago, RSM

Director of the Office of Consecrated Life