Celebrating with Joy

By Michele Stimac CoL

Birthdays are happy times, and in Loretto we celebrate them with JOY. When I was a young Sister of Loretto, I recall frequently talking with others about why we entered Loretto instead of other communities. Time and time again, we affirmed that what drew us to Loretto were several characteristics about those we knew in the Community. The overwhelming characteristic, however, was that “Loretto emanated joy.” We sensed a resounding effort to serve the Lord on this earth and in the universe with a spirit of God’s JOY.

When a group of Loretto Community members and friends met on Memorial Day at a familiar Loretto house in Lakewood, Colo., it was evident that joy prevailed as our two celebrants that day — namely, Joan (better known as Joannie) Spero and Mary Ellen (often called Ellen) McElroy, sat in the middle of the group and opened their hearts to receive our happy birthday greeting in song, prayer, and individual wishes. Happiness and joy prevailed.