The 2024 Jubilee Celebration for sisters from the New Jersey and Delaware region was a heartfelt and meaningful event. Eleven sisters, collectively dedicating over 700 years to religious life, were honored for their commitment and service. Celebrating jubilees ranging from 60 to 75 years, the sisters marked this milestone not with gifts for themselves but by giving generously to Águilas del Desierto.
The 2024 jubilarians included:
75 years in religious life: Sister Mary Elaine Lechert, Sister Irene Marie Sarnecki
70 years in religious life: Sister Mary Antonelle Chunka, Sister Mary Adrianna Gorski, Sister Mary Michaelita Wiechetek, Sister Mary Lorene Pivinski, Sister Lucille Marie Bruno
60 years in religious life: Sister Mary Fides Milwicz, Sister Mary Alicia Adametz, Sister Mary Alice Buczko, Sister Mary Laverne Cholewa
In lieu of personal gifts, the jubilarians requested donations to Águilas del Desierto. The response was overwhelming. At the celebration in Lodi, a donation basket placed by the chapel door inspired attendees to contribute generously, resulting in a collective donation of $2,020.
Águilas del Desierto expressed deep gratitude for this support, noting that the donation will fund an entire desert search, covering essential supplies such as food, ice and gasoline for 25 volunteers. Águilas emphasized their reliance on the sisters’ prayers, as well as the prayers of all who support the lost in the desert and the volunteers who search tirelessly to find them.
The 2024 Jubilee Celebration not only recognized the sisters’ decades of dedication but also highlighted their ongoing commitment to serving others. By directing all gifts to Águilas del Desierto, the jubilarians extended their legacy of compassion beyond their community, supporting a cause that saves lives. This donation will sustain critical search-and-rescue efforts and offer vital assistance to those most in need.
