Sister Philomena Luke of Mary, CFR, wore a wide smile as faithful from the Diocese of Camden embraced her in warm and congratulatory hugs outside Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in New York City.
Just moments before, Sister Philomena took her final profession of vows before Mother Clare Matthiass, CFR, General Servant (Superior) of the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal in New York City, with blessings bestowed by His Eminence, Timothy Michael Cardinal Dolan of the Archdiocese of New York.
“She is such a light. She just radiates the love of Christ,” said Sister Ann Kateri Hamm, CFR, who serves with Sister Philomena in Saint Michael Convent, the Parish of Saint Monica, Atlantic City. “Our spousal relationship with Jesus Christ is the source of what we do. Anytime anyone gives their ‘yes’ to God, there is grace that comes to all of us.”
Sister Philomena and Sister Thérèse Marie of the Father, CFR, both made final vows on May 13 during a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Dolan and concelebrated by Bishop Tom Deenihan, Diocese of Meath, Ireland, and others including Father Kevin Mohan, pastor of the Parish of Saint Monica, and Father Michael Goyette, pastor of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish, Collings Lakes. Among those in attendance were Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Renewal, those in formation, and hundreds of faithful, family and members of the community – all of whom filled the pews in the 19th century church.
During the Mass, Cardinal Dolan placed and blessed a ring on each sister’s finger – a sign of each woman’s spousal relationship with the Lord. Each sister then received a crown of thorns – a symbol of participation in Christ’s salvific mission – and a candle, to remind the sisters of their vows of fidelity to the Lord and His Church.
“Seeing her give herself to God … it was amazing to see that ‘yes’ for her,” said Sister Philomena’s brother Andrew Folse of Tampa, Florida. “I admire her so much. It was the most beautiful wedding I’ve been to.”
Janet Folse, Sister Philomena’s mother, said it was hard to put her feelings into words. “It’s an incredible blessing for me as a mother. To everyone from this point on, she will be serving as a spiritual mother with her entire life.”
The mother of seven reflected on the gifts her second-youngest child will bring to her vocation – joy – and the fact that Sister Philomena’s father would be proud of his daughter. Gordon James Folse died in August 2022 after a sudden diagnosis of cancer.
“She is fiery,” said Folse, of Fredericksburg, Virginia. “My husband had a nickname for her: Sparky. During Mass, I leaned over to my son and said, ‘I don’t think she’s Sparky anymore. She’s much more than that. She’s a flame.”
That flame has been burning bright across the Diocese of Camden. In addition to being a familiar face in Atlantic City, Sister Philomena spent a week in March leading up to the Diocesan Eucharistic Congress sharing her vocation story with high school students and parish youth.
“It’s really beautiful to be here today to pray with her,” said Father Mohan, who traveled on a bus from Atlantic City with about 40 faithful.
At least another 40 of South Jersey’s Catholics made their way individually to the celebration, too, a testament to Sister Philomena’s character, Father Mohan said. “She’s such a source of joy and energy and zeal for the Gospel. I know she has impacted a lot of people, and that is because of the quality of her work and ministry. But it is also because of who she is – her personal witness.”
Sister Ann Kateri agreed. “Everyone feels very loved by her,” she said, as the hall under the church filled up with Mass-goers and those walking by for a buffet lunch and continued celebrations during the afternoon.
Seeing so many together “was an experience of heaven, where everyone is gathered together around the altar of the Lamb,” Sister Ann Kateri said. “That we had some of the poor whom we serve there, the very wealthy, benefactors who support us, our volunteers, friends and family, was an experience of the fulness of the body of Christ and a foretaste of heaven … where every soul will be united to God in a spousal way but we, as religious sisters, are called to live that spousal relationship with the Lord now in a visible way.”
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