Bicentennial Events

Various Locations: Service Projects / Ongoing
Experience the work of Holy Child firsthand. In honor of Cornelia’s commitment to serving others, service opportunities are being offered at several of our ministries. Find one in your area and join with us in lending your time, talent, and treasure.

Maryland: Connelly School of the Holy Child / January 4, 2009

The Sisters of the Holy Child are joining with the Connelly School of the Holy Child, which they founded in 1961, for the school's annual Epiphany Mass. The Sisters of the Holy Child will renew their vows during the Mass, while celebrating the life and legacy of Cornelia. For more information, contact Sr. Connie Craig.

North Carolina: Mass & Reception / January 18, 2009

In Charlotte, N.C., a Mass will be said in Cornelia's honor at St. Luke's parish at 11 a.m. followed by a reception. Holy Chid Sisters Veronica Grover and Jay McCann both serve at St. Luke's. For more information, contact Sr. Veronica Grover.

Pennsylvania: Providence Center's 15th Anniversary / April 18, 2009
Founded by the Sisters of the Holy Child, Providence Center opened in the fall of 1993. The center is a place of learning that offers an After School Program, Summer Program, English as a Second Language (ESL) program, a Sewing Program, Family Enrichment, Home Visiting, and a Teen Mentor Program. The Center will be celebrating its 15th Anniversary. For more information, contact Sr. Nancy Hagenbach.

New York: Metropolitan Celebration / April 20, 2009
A reception and short play presented by the students from the Cornelia Connelly Center for Education will be held from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at Fordham Law School at Lincoln Center. Alumni and friends from the greater New York area are invited to join us to celebrate the life and legacy of Cornelia Connelly. For more information, contact Sr. Maureen Welsh.

Pennsylvania: Holy Child Awards Dinner / April 30, 2009
At this inaugural Awards Dinner, we will honor two individuals, J. Gordon Cooney, Jr., Esq. and Mary Evelyn Tucker, Ph.D. with the Faith in Action Award, as well as John F. Connolly, Jr. with the Holy Child Spirit Award. Presented annually, these awards honor individuals whose lives and work embody Cornelia Connelly’s spirit. The dinner will be held at the Philadelphia Marriot West Hotel in West Conshohocken, PA. For more information, contact Sandy Lovascio.

Pennsylvania: Cornelian Tour / May 9, 2009 & May 13, 2009
Because Cornelia was born in Philadelphia, many areas in the city are significant to her and the Society. Several Holy Child Sisters will lead a walking tour that highlights these areas and offers further insight into Cornelia and her life.

Pennsylvania: Special Bicentennial Exhibit / July - November 2009

At the Archives of the Sisters of the Holy Child in Rosemont, PA, special relics of Cornelia Connelly will be on display including the documentation for her Beatification, the oldest and latest books and articles about her, pictures of her and her family, genealogical chart, and the newly discovered letter she wrote to Cardinal McCloskey! For more information, please contact Sr. Helena Mayer, Archivist, at 610-525-8951. Appointments to view the exhibit are necessary.

Massachusetts: Celebration at St. Mary’s / October 4, 2009
In honor of the beginning of St. Mary’s 100th Anniversary Celebration and the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Cornelia Connelly, a Liturgy will be celebrated at St. Mary's at 11:30 a.m. followed by a reception. The Sisters of the Holy Child taught at St. Mary’s School in Melrose, MA from 1909-1982. Today, Sisters of the Holy Child continue to serve the parish. For more information, contact Sr. Mary Samson.

Pennsylvania: Closing Prayer Service / October 11, 2009
The Bicentennial Celebration will close with a prayer service in Philadelphia, PA.