Grace upon grace; this is what we celebrate today. The grace of 25 years of Cenacle presence in Singapore, and the grace of our Sister Christine’s profession of perpetual vows. Wedged within these two graces are many more moments of grace upon grace. This is what we celebrate today. And we are filled with joy that we are sharing this celebration with you.
25 years ago, our first Singaporean Cenacle Sister, Sr. Francisca Tan, professed perpetual vows. A small cottage on the grounds of the Good Shepherd Sisters on Thomson Road was graciously given over to us for the few days we needed to prepare for that joyous occasion. And a few days after, we moved into the former IJ convent in Jurong West, the place which would be home to us for 24 years. A number of Cenacle sisters experienced this home as the community from which we have ministered.
I share with you some words written on a cross given as a gift to the community recently: “Having somewhere to go to is a HOME. Having someone to love is a FAMILY. Having both is a BLESSING!” How apt that we are celebrating here in Holy Family, which has nourished our sister Christine’s life of faith through the years, and where we have been welcomed so lovingly even as we disrupted some of their well—organized ways. We have experienced both Home and Family.
Last month, the 2nd Singaporean Cenacle sister, Sr. Xiaowei Li, professed her perpetual vows in the Chapel at St. Patrick’s School. Another grace on top of the many we have received in the intervening 25 years! And today, we will witness the profession of a 3rd Singaporean Cenacle Sisters! Grace upon grace!
And so we welcome you to this celebration of the many blessings we have received because you have allowed us to put our Cenacle charism at your service. We welcome Christine’s parents and thank them for their generous gift to us of their daughter. We welcome her relatives who have come to share in our joy. We welcome Fr. Adrian Danker, who will preside at this Eucharist. And we would have welcomed here Fr. Eugene Vaz who should have been the presided had he had not gotten sick. We welcome our other priests and religious sisters and brothers who are sharing this joy with us today.
Most of all, we welcome all of you who have been the source of grace upon grace
Through the many years you have allowed us into your lives and stories. How good it is to be able to tell you that you have been a blessing to us Cenacle sisters here in Singapore, and to our congregation all over the world.
Welcome—let us celebrate grace upon grace.