LINCOLN (SNR) — The annual “Youth of the Eucharist” gathering was held Sept. 14 at the Convent of Christ the King in Lincoln.
Forty children and their families joined the Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration – called the “Pink Sisters,” due to their rose-colored habits which symbolize joy in their vocation – for prayer in the chapel, then visited with the Sisters in their meeting room.
The Pink Sisters are a cloistered order dedicated to perpetual adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. They were founded in Holland in 1896. Bishop Glennon Flavin invited the Sisters to the Lincoln Diocese in 1973.
The bishop gave up his own residence to serve as their convent. In 1980, he oversaw the construction of a chapel adjacent to the convent.
Eight Sisters reside at the Lincoln convent, and maintain perpetual adoration before the Blessed Sacrament with the assistance of dedicated lay adorers who help with some day and evening hours. More lay adorers are currently needed; those interested in experiencing the power of Eucharistic adoration may contact Bernice Polivka at 531-739-3000; she assists the Pink Sisters with scheduling lay adorers.
The Holy Spirit Adorations have 18 convents prayerfully serving the world. There are convents in Germany, Poland, West Africa, India, Philippines, Argentina, Brazil and Indonesia. In the United States, the convents are in Lincoln, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Corpus Christi, Texas. This summer, two Sisters from Lincoln moved to the convent in St. Louis and one Sister from Philadelphia moved to Lincoln.
Lay Catholics who wish to support the Sisters may become a member of the Pink Sisters Auxiliary. Members of the Auxiliary are included in the daily remembrances of the sisters, including a special mention during their daily Mass. The sisters also pray four solemn Novenas each year on behalf of the Auxiliary. When a member dies, that person is enrolled perpetually in a Spiritual Union. The sisters specially pray for these members in nine Masses each month.
The suggested annual membership fees are $10 for individuals and $20 per household. The donations are not required to receive the benefits of the sisters’ prayers and sacrifices, but they are used to care for the personal needs of the sisters. The funds pay for things like food, healthcare and upkeep of the chapel and grounds.
The Sisters accept prayer requests by phone at 402-489-0765, mail, or personal visits to the convent, at 1040 S. Cotner Blvd. in Lincoln. The chapel is open to the public from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Information about joining various lay organizations for men, women and children, including the auxiliary, is available in the chapel vestibule, and a variety of books is available for purchase.
