Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters (SSPSAP)
25th Profession
Sister Mary Gracelyn
Birth name: Jenita Palisa
Birth place: Philippines
Entrance: Jan. 7, 1993
First profession: May, 1996
Education: Bachelor’s in education
Service in the archdiocese: Contemplative religious, Mount Grace Convent, 2012-present
Service outside the archdiocese: St. Joseph’s Convent in Quezon City (where she entered) and Immaculata Adoration Convent in Kalibo, Aklan, both in the Philippines
Blessed Sacrament Convent, Corpus Christi, Texas, 2009-12
About Sister Mary Gracelyn: While still young, Sister Mary Gracelyn was accustomed to spend time in the church. Just being there in silence, she experienced the great love and mercy of God. So, she decided and chose to give her whole life to Him until her last breath. She currently helps in the kitchen and offers her calligraphy skills in the card department at Mount Grace Convent.
Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters (SSPSAP)
50th Profession
Sister Maria Goretti
Birth name: Patricia Ann Rebello
Birth place: St. Louis
Entrance: Nov. 21, 1968
First profession: Nov. 21, 1971
Education: St. Catherine of Alexandria School, St. Louis
Rosary High School, St. Louis
Service in the archdiocese: Contemplative religious, Mount Grace Convent, serving as portress and in the kitchen, 1983-present
Service outside the archdiocese: Convent of Divine Love, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1968-76; 1982-83
About Sister Maria Goretti: Born in North St. Louis County, Sister Maria Goretti was a member of St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish and attended Rosary High School. She visited Mount Grace Chapel at Christmas when she was 13. She saw the sisters came out for adoration from behind the altar. They wore a sheer white veil over their pink habits. It was stunning! From that moment she wanted to be a Pink Sister. Every day, it was the same, she wanted to be a Pink Sister, all through high school, then working for three years, until the day she entered on Nov. 21, 1968, at the age of 21. She experienced a profound peace upon entering the cloister.
Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters (SSPSAP)
50th Profession
Sister Ancilla Maria
Birth name: Maria Concepcion B. Alonzo
Birth place: Navotas, Rizal, Philippines
Entrance: Nov. 21, 1968
First profession: May 16, 1971
Education: Commerce and accounting studies, University of St. Tomas, Manila, Philippines
Service in the archdiocese: Assistant superior, portress and helping in the procure, Mount Grace Convent, St. Louis, 1994-present
Service outside the archdiocese: House official and postulant directress, Davao Community
Assigned in convents in Cebu and Tagaytay, Philippines
About Sister Ancilla Maria: Sister Ancilla Maria was accepted into the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) formation program and professed her first temporary vows on May 16, 1971. For the next six years, she was with the Generalate Secretariate as the youngest member. In 1978, she confided to her spiritual director, Jesuit Father Joseph Murphy, her inclination toward the contemplative life. Upon Father Murphy’s suggestion, she visited the Adoration Convent in Hemady, Quezon City, and was advised to first pronounce her final vows with the RVM, which she did in 1981. In 1982, her petition to transfer was approved by the Vatican, and by both the RVM Generalate and the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters’ Superior General. That same year, 1982, she joined the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration (Pink Sisters) in Cebu, Philippines. She was transferred to Mount Grace Convent in St. Louis in 1994, where she also celebrated her silver jubilee of religious profession in 1996.
Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters (SSPSAP)
65th Profession
Sister Mary Jozefa
Birth name: Anna Brunenberg
Birth place: Schaeberg, Limburg, Netherlands
Entrance: May 7, 1953
First profession: November, 1956
Education: Grade school in Holland and a year of school of economics
Service in the archdiocese: Contemplative religious assigned in the printing room, kitchen, and sewing room, Mount Grace Convent, St. Louis
Service outside the archdiocese: Assigned to Soesterberg, Netherlands
Assigned to the Motherhouse in Steyl
Assigned for two years to Philadelphia Convent
About Sister Mary Jozefa: She was also a very good gold calligrapher, who was needed with the sisters’ perpetual Mass card enrollments. Today, she stays in her room spending a lot of her quiet time devoted to prayer.
Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters (SSPSAP)
75th Profession
Sister Mary Bertha
Birth place: Springfield, Missouri
Entrance: May, 1946
First profession: May, 1946
Education: Secondary schooling in Springfield, Missouri
Service in the archdiocese: Assigned to Mount Grace Convent in St. Louis, offering precious spiritual support to everyone through her apostolate of prayer, 2017-present
Sister Mary Bertha received her transfer to St. Louis in 2017 after past missionary assignments in other Pink Sisters convent locations in the U.S. and in Steyl, Netherlands. Due to her declining health, she is now confined to her room, offering precious spiritual support to everyone through her apostolate of prayer.
Service outside the archdiocese: Assigned to community in Philadelphia
Sister-servant in Corpus Christi, Texas
Sister-servant in Steyl, Netherlands
About Sister Mary Bertha: Her assignments included being an organist, a sister portress and working in the correspondence room.
