SISTER GERMAINE BEVANS, O.S.B. WENT HOME TO OUR LORD ON FEBRUARY 12TH
Regular readers of this space may recall that while I was still in the hospital I asked for prayers for my colleague, Sister Germaine Bevans, a Benedictine Sister of Holy Name Monastery in St. Leo, FL and our diocesan Vicar for Religious for almost eleven years. My colleagues at the Bishop Larkin Pastoral Center are, in faith, grieving her death but happy her battle with cancer was cut somewhat short. Sister Germaine was born in Belize, a small nation in Central America some seventy-three years ago. She always wished to be a religious sister and professed in 1956 as a Pallottine sister. She served with that community as a teacher and principal for twenty years before coming to Holy Name Monastery in 1973 attracted to the Benedictine charism and the example of Saints Scholastica and her brother, St. Benedict. From 1976 to 1986 she was principal of Saint Anthony School in San Antonio, Florida, just a mile from the monastery. Chosen by the members of her community, she served two full terms as prioress, reflecting the trust and love of her fellow sisters. When her second term was concluded, I asked her to serve the diocesan Church as Vicar for Religious which she did till Friday when the Lord came for her. She loved religious and fought for them when she thought they were being mistreated or wronged. She was persistent and did not take “no” from me without challenging the justice of the situation. Most often she was right but little could be done to right the perceived wrong. She was a holy woman, living a very simple life style with a deeply prayerful commitment. I cared deeply for her and will miss her. At the request of the sisters, I shall celebrate her funeral Mass on Tuesday morning at the Abbey Church, St. Leo, and preach the homily which will be available here after delivery. Rest in the peace of Christ, dear Sister Germaine, you have more than earned it.
+RNL
Tags: Mass, Rest in Peace, Sister Germaine