From staff reports
Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt of Bishop Edward J. Burns’ homily from a Mass celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth on Oct. 12 at the Nazareth Retreat Center in Grand Prairie.
Today, as we gather in gratitude to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, the Word of God offers us a message that could not be more fitting: a message of welcome, mercy, and mission that crosses every border.
In our first reading from the Second Book of Kings, we meet Naaman the Syrian, a foreigner who is afflicted with leprosy. He comes seeking healing, and through the prophet Elisha, the Lord cleanses him. Notice that God does not limit His mercy just to the people of Israel; He extends it to Naaman — an outsider. This is a powerful message: God’s love is universal. He sees the dignity of every person, regardless of nationality, background, or circumstance.
In the Gospel from Luke, we encounter another group of people afflicted with leprosy — 10 of them. All 10 cry out, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” And Jesus cures them all. Yet, as the story tells us, only one returns to give thanks — and that one is, again, a foreigner: a Samaritan. Jesus does not ask for pedigree papers or a passport before He heals. He sees their suffering. He sees their humanity. He sees their need; and He responds with love and compassion.
These stories remind us that God’s kingdom is never confined by walls or lines on a map. His grace moves freely across nations and peoples, embracing the immigrant, the stranger, the outsider — and making of them a new family in faith.
And this message, sisters, mirrors your own story so beautifully. Your foundress, Bl. Frances Siedliska, in 1875, 150 years ago, listened to the call of God in 19th-century Europe and had the courage to build something that transcended borders: an international community by design, welcoming women of different nations, languages, and cultures. From Rome to Chicago, from Poland to New York, from the Midwest to the Southwest, you brought the tenderness of the Holy Family into new lands and into the lives of immigrant families searching for hope.
I can imagine what it must have been like in 1885, 10 years after founding this religious order, when Mother Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd and those first 11 pioneering sisters stepped off the ship in New York on the Fourth of July — a new land, a new language, a new mission. (And being the 4th of July, I bet they wondered, “What’s a Yankee Doodle Dandy?”) But they carried with them the universal language of love, modeled on the home of Nazareth. Within two months, they were teaching children, welcoming the poor, and building community.
Today, 150 years later, that same missionary spirit is alive. You are part of a congregation that spans continents and cultures — from Australia to Ghana, from the Philippines to Texas. Your ministries have touched thousands of families — many of them immigrants — offering education, healthcare, care for the elderly, pastoral outreach, and the quiet but powerful witness of religious life. You have stood beside those who arrive with nothing but hope; and you have given them the face of Christ.
St. Paul, in our second reading, reminds us why we do this. He says, “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead… the Word of God is not chained… If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him.” God’s Word cannot be confined to one nation or one people. It moves through history, carried by disciples who cross boundaries for the sake of the Gospel. And, dear sisters, for 150 years, you have been those disciples. And some of your sisters have shed their blood and given their lives for Jesus Christ (the Blessed Martyrs of Nowogródek, Bl. Stella and her 10 companions).
Your founding vision — to model your lives on the Holy Family — is profoundly missionary. Our God is an immigrant God. He had to pass through the gates of heaven to descend to earth; He had to cross that significant border to become one of us, to take on our flesh. Then, as a little child, Jesus was once again an immigrant along with his mother Mary and Joseph. The Holy Family themselves were forced to flee their home, crossing into Egypt to protect the Child Jesus. So, your charism is not only about family life; it is about being a family that welcomes the stranger, embraces the migrant, and builds communion across cultures.
Today, in our own Diocese of Dallas, we are blessed by your presence and ministry. You remind us that the Church is not a fortress but a home — a Nazareth where people of every nation are received as brothers and sisters. In a world where immigrants and refugees are often met with fear or suspicion, your witness says instead: “Come in. You are welcome here. You belong to the family of God.” It is important for us to remember that no matter where we travel in the world, as Catholics, when we enter into a Catholic Church, we know we are home!
Sisters, this 150th anniversary is not only a moment to look back in gratitude — it is also a call to look forward with hope. The world needs your charism more than ever. As the topic of immigration continues to shape our Church and our nation, the witness of communities like yours will help us build bridges where others build walls.
So today, let us give thanks to God for the gift of your congregation — for Bl. Frances, for Bl. Stella and her 10 companions, for the members of your community who have carried the torch across the years, and for you who now live this mission in our diocese.
May the God who healed Naaman and welcomed the Samaritan strengthen your community to continue bringing the love of Nazareth to every land.
So today, dear sisters, as we mark this extraordinary milestone of 150 years, we not only look back with gratitude but also look forward with faith and hope. This celebration is a reminder that your story is part of God’s great story — a story that crosses borders, welcomes strangers, and builds a family rooted in love.
May Bl. Frances, the Martyrs of Nowogródek, and the entire communion of Nazareth sisters who have entered eternal life, intercede for you now. May they strengthen your hearts with courage, deepen your hope, and guide your steps of religious life into the next century and beyond.
And may Mary, Joseph, and the Child Jesus — the Holy Family of Nazareth — continue to be your model, your refuge, and your joy.
Amen.
Cutline for featured image: Bishop Edward J. Burns, center, poses with members of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth following the celebration of a Mass to recognize the 150th anniversary of their religious congregation on Oct. 12 at the Nazareth Retreat Center in Grand Prairie. Also pictured is Father Samuel Rendon. (MICHAEL GRESHAM/The Texas Catholic)
