On July 26 Sister Devota LaVoie concluded three days of celebrating her centennial birthday with an open house in the Monastery dining room. Her Community family, her extended family, and many friends came to pay their respects.
A beautifully decorated cake was brought out, the lights were dimmed, and the long, thin sparkler candles were lit so that all could sing Happy Birthday. She received help from some of her younger family members in blowing out the candles.
Sister Devota made her Perpetual Profession in 1928. Much of her ministry through the years was in education. There were many friends and former associates and students as well as extended family who came to celebrate with her. And she happily opened many, many birthday greeting cards .
After Sister Devota retired in 1983, she began another ministry in Benet Hall, providing activities and doing things for infirm Sisters. She changed Benet Hall room name signs as needed, showed movies to the Sisters, and, for many years, gathered Benet Hall Sisters to pray the rosary. She also organized a Bingo game which still occurs every Tuesday.
Sister Devota also likes to work jigsaw puzzles in the sunporch. She tries to engage other Sisters to participate. Who cannot honor and respect such a caring Benedictine? She knows how to treat each person as Christ, just as St. Benedict wrote.
Happy 100th, Sister Devota!