Sister Mary Jones, OP, Professes Final Vows

September 13, New Orleans, Louisiana – Early in the new school year, students at St. Mary’s Dominican High School in New Orleans had the opportunity to learn about commitment to religious life when they attended the Final Profession of Vows of their campus minister, Adrian Dominican Sister Mary Jones, OP.

The Rite of Perpetual Profession took place at the school during a special Liturgy on September 8, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Attending the special event were the students, faculty members and staff of St. Mary’s Dominican; family members and friends of Sister Mary; and several Adrian Dominican Sisters, including Sister Mary’s witnesses, Sisters Tarianne DeYonker, OP, and Sharon Spanbauer, OP. Dominican Father Jeffrey Ott, OP, presided.      

Sister Mary Jones, OP, professes her perpetual vows to Sister Attracta Kelly, OP, Prioress. Looking on are Sister Mary’s witnesses: Sister Tarianne DeYonker, OP, left, and Sister Sharon Spanbauer, OP, in the background.                   Photo by Shannon Hauler, yearbook moderator at St. Mary’s Dominican High School

In her reflection, Adrian Dominican Sister Pat Harvat, OP, a faculty member at St. Mary’s Dominican, spoke of God’s call to Sister Mary, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Dominic before her. “Mary believed and trusted in her vision of what God was asking of her,” Sister Pat said. “St. Dominic believed and trusted in his call to be a preacher and saw new possibilities for the Church. You too, Sister Mary, believed and trusted the deepest yearnings of your heart for many years to live a life fully committed to God.”

Sister Pat affirmed the commitment of the Dominican family to Sister Mary, just as Sister Mary prepared to vow her own commitment to the Adrian Dominican Sisters. “We your sisters and Dominican brother, family, friends and colleagues stand with you in your dreams and your hopes. Thank you for letting us be part of your story of faithful love written in every line of your life.”

Sister Attracta Kelly, OP, Prioress, addresses Sister Mary Jones, OP, who is standing with the community of St. Mary’s Dominican High School, where she ministers.                     Photo by Shannon Hauler, yearbook moderator at St. Mary’s Dominican High School

During the Rite of Final Profession, Sister Mary lay prostrate during the Litany of Saints and was then formally examined by Sister Attracta Kelly, OP, Prioress of the Adrian Dominican Congregation, as to her readiness to enter into perpetual profession. “I intend to follow my heart and join my life with the Dominican Sisters of Adrian,” Sister Mary proclaimed. “I intend to preach the Gospel to all I meet, by joyfully sharing the gifts I have been given by God. I will join my sisters in respecting all life, living lightly on earth, and being a voice for the poor and marginalized.”

After professing her vow of obedience to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Dominic, and Sister Attracta and her lawful successors, Sister Mary received her ring as a reminder of her life-long commitment to Jesus Christ. 

Posing with St. Mary’s Dominican students are, from left: Father Chris Eggleton, OP, Provincial of the Southern Dominican Province; Archbishop Gregory Aymond, of New Orleans; Sister Mary; and Father Jeffery Ott, OP.

The daughter of D.J. and Norine Jones, Sister Mary was raised in Taylor, Michigan. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from Michigan State University in 1985; her master’s degree in education from Wayne State University, Detroit, in 1996; and her Master of Pastoral Studies from Loyola University, Chicago, in 2009.

Since joining the Adrian Dominican Sisters, Sister Mary served as a theology teacher and coach at Regina Dominican High School, an all-girls, college preparatory school, located in Wilmette, Illinois, north of Chicago, and sponsored by the Adrian Dominican Sisters. She is beginning her second year as campus minister at St. Mary’s Dominican High School, sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Peace.