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Sister Lorraine McGrew, general superior of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary; newly received novices, from left, Sisters Carolyn Elizabeth,  Tracey Catherine, Sarah Marie and Emily Vincent; and Sister Mary Glackin, postulant directress. Click here to enlarge. (Photo submitted.)

IMMACULATA, Pa. – Four women were welcomed into the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) religious congregation as novices in a reception ceremony on Aug. 13 at Villa Maria House of Studies in Immaculata. Entrance into the novitiate marks the women’s formal introduction to religious life.

The four received as canonical novices are Carolyn Braun, Tracey Uphoff, Sarah Van Anglen and Emily Rebalsky.

At the private ceremony, Sister Lorraine McGrew, general superior of the congregation, welcomed each sister, gave each a copy of the constitutions of the congregation and pronounced her religious name. The women entered the chapel or the first time in their habits.

Carolyn Braun is known as Sister M. Carolyn Elizabeth. The daugher of Mr. and Mrs. James Braun, hails from Telford, Pa. She is a 2008 graduate of Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J.

Tracey Uphoff is Sister M. Tracey Catherine. She is daughter of Bernard and Pat Uphoff of Havertown, Pa. She graduated from Immaculata University in Immaculata in 2007.

The daughter of Albert and Mary Ellen Van Anglen of Gilbertsville, Pa., Sarah Van Anglen, now Sister Sarah Marie, graduated this year from Immaculata University.

Emily Rebalsky, now Sister M. Emily Vincent, is the daughter of Carolyn Rebalsky and the late Robert Rebalsky and was a member of Assumption Parish in Strafford, Pa. She graduated from Cabrini College in Radnor, Pa. Prior to entering the congregation, she worked for the Office of Clergy in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

The sisters entered the congregation in September 2008. During their first year, called the postulate year, they lived as members of the order and learned about religious life. The postulancy afforded them the opportunity to discern and follow their call by God to enter religious life. During the year, the four took part in all aspects of community life including private and communal prayers, daily living of community life and participation in the mission of the sisters to evangelize, catechize and teach.

As first year, or canonical novices, the sisters will take part in classes related to prayer and theology. In the second year, they will also learn more about the mission and prepare to actively participate in it.

Information about the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is available online at www.ihmimmaculata.org.

The National Religious Vocation Conference recently released the result of a nearly two-year study looking at new membership in religious congregations. Overall, the findings from the surveys confirm that there are still significant numbers of men and women who are responding to a call to religious life and are hopeful about its future. Results of the study can be found online at www.nrvc.net.