Villa Ceremony Commemorates 100th Anniversary

Sisters and staff observed the 100th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the Villa de Matel on Friday, March 7th, with two quiet, prayerful ceremonies that recounted the history of the Congregation’s decision to move its novitiate and Generalate from Galveston to Houston in the early 1920s.  Toni Stanford, CCVI Human Resources Director, opened the event by kicking off Catholic Sisters Week and acknowledging the birthday of the the Congregation’s founder, Bishop Claude Marie Dubuis. The centennial of the laying of the Villa cornerstone, Bishop Dubuis’ birthday, and Catholic Sisters week all fell on the same day, March 8th. A larger, public celebration is planned for 2028 to commemorate the centennial of the completion of the Villa de Matel campus, when construction and consecration of the chapel was completed and the new “Motherhead” of the Congregation was officially established.  

To bring alive the vision of the Sisters who bought the land and planned for the beautiful structures, Sr. Deenan Hubbard, CCVI, channeled the spirit and voice of Mother  M. Placidus Mulcahy to recount the planning of the project. Mother Placidus was the General Superior during the purchase and construction of the Villa.  Sr. Deenan spoke by microphone from a hidden location to achieve the effect of Mother Placidus speaking from the great beyond.  In concluding remarks, Sr. Celeste Trahan reflected on the meaning of Christ as the cornerstone of faith and life, as a cornerstone is to the foundation of a building.  She cited Psalm 127, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” And Psalm 118, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”  “The Lord has done this," Sr. Celeste said. “And it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day. Let us rejoice today and be glad.”  She then blessed three sides of the cornerstone with Holy water. The ceremony concluded with a toast by Sr. Kevina Keating, CCVI, in the morning and Sr. Ricca Dimalibot, CCVI, in the afternoon.