Southern Nebraska Register
Two saints with special ties to the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters (“Pink Sisters”) were honored in a celebratory public Mass Sunday, Oct. 5, at the Sisters’ Christ the King Chapel in central Lincoln.
St. Arnold Janssen, founder of the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, and St. Joseph Freinademetz, a fellow Divine Word Missionary priest, were canonized Oct. 5, 2003.
Sunday Masses at the Christ the King Chapel at 1040 S. Cotner Boulevard are typically private, while the daily 7 a.m. Mass is always open to the public. However, because of the special anniversary coinciding with the Sunday celebration, Bishop James Conley gave permission for the Mass to be opened to the public.
St. Arnold Janssen founded the Divine Word Missionaries (SVD), an order of priests and brothers dedicated to missionary work, in 1875 in Steyl, Netherlands. He also founded two religious orders of Sisters: the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, or Blue Sisters, and their contemplative branch, the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, or Pink Sisters. Today there are more than 6,000 SVD men serving in over 70 countries, making them the largest order of missionaries in the world.
St. Joseph Freinademetz was one of the early SVD priests, and one of the first two to be sent to start the organization’s mission in China. He suffered many persecutions as a Chinese missionary but embraced the work. He died of typhus after ministering to patients of the disease. His dedication to the Chinese people could be seen in his habit of dress, which was in the Chinese custom.
The anniversary Mass Oct. 5 was celebrated by Father Thomas Au, who ministers in nursing homes in the Diocese of Lincoln. Father Au shared many stories of his own personal connections to both the Divine Word Missionaries and the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters. For example, when he was a seminarian, he and other Lincoln seminarians had the privilege to serve at the Beatification Mass in 1975 at the Chapel of Divine Love in Philadelphia.
After the Oct. 5 Mass, a light reception was held in the Aurora Room adjacent to the bookstore of the Chapel. The Sisters greeted their guests and joined in the celebration.
For more information on the saints, the Sisters or their Chapel, contact Joan Tasler at 402-310-9682 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Group presentations for adults and children are welcome.
