Living the Mission; Making a Difference: Part 3
by Sr. Mary Lou Lafferty, OSF

Whenever people see John Kevin McNulty, they automatically begin singing �"Well, hello, Dolly...” Sr. John Kevin recently celebrated 70 years of service to our congregation and service that has been! JK's ministry has been primarily in the healthcare field in various capacities, including many years in clinical supervision and hospital administration in New York and Florida. She also served two terms as area coordinator for the southern region of the congregation. Retirement is not in John Kevin's vocabulary. Before she settled into St. Elizabeth Convent in Tampa, she arranged a part-time position at the Franciscan Center. Her tasks vary, but whatever they are, she does them with a spirit of joy. When you visit St. Elizabeth's, John Kevin will greet you with a genuine spirit of hospitality and, of course, she will be wearing her fashionable high heels!

Bonaventure MacDonald decided shortly after her golden jubilee that she needed to look into part-time ministry or maybe even retire. "Bonnie" was an outstanding educator, so her initial attempts at finding ministry began with a local Catholic school. She was hired immediately and, for the next 12 years, traveled daily to her volunteer ministry via four buses. She would laugh and say that she did "Bus Ministry” as she waited at each stop for the bus. In 2003, Bonnie felt she could do more with her time, so arrangements were made for her to be a Eucharistic Minister in a local nursing home. This evolved into many more volunteer hours of service in other areas to the residents. Bonaventure remained in service with the nursing home until it closed last year and she received the "7 over 70.” award from the city of Malden for her outstanding service to the elderly. Recently, Bonnie moved to St. Raphael Convent in West Medford, but before she went, she wanted to be assured that she could continue her tutoring at St. Joseph School. Though her traveling has shortened, her cheerful spirit continues as she waits for the bus!

Elvira Donaldson and Maria Miranda became acquainted with the congregation through the Franciscan friars. They live in Sipe Sipe, a small town outside Cochabamba in Bolivia. According to their culture, both Elvira and Maria are formally retired; however, one would never know this as they live out their days in service to the people of the village. The sisters are involved in a myriad of Mission ministries including pastoral care, education, and religious instruction. Maria is proficient in Ouechua, which is the first language of the people. She provides tutorial lessons for children with learning disabilities. Saturday is their free day, so their time is spent tending to the garden around their small home. They plant vegetables, herbs and beautiful rose bushes. This harvest is not just for themselves, but for the local people and children with whom they minister. Elvira and Maria may be considered retired, but they continue as active and vibrant bearers of the Mission.