Schaloiaas Ann Edwards from Nashville, Tennessee, pins a corsage on her aunt, Sister Mary Brigid O'Neill who celebrated her 85th anniversary as a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament. Zadabeth Uland from Houston looks admiringly at her long-time friend. "Sister Brigid was always very determined. She knew her own mind at a very young age," said Edwards of her aunt. Sister Brigid professed her vows at the age of 16.

Sister Mary Brigid O'Neill, IWBS, age 101 and Sister Mary Paul Hon, IWBS, age 71, followed in the foot steps of the prophet and last of the judges Samuel, when they responded to the call of the Lord 85 years and 50 years ago respectively when they professed their vows and joined the Sisters of Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.

A Eucharistic Liturgy of Thanksgiving and luncheon were held in their honor on April 24 at the Incarnate Word Convent in Corpus Christi.

Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey was principle celebrant of the Mass with Monsignors Thomas Feeney, Seamus McGowan and Thomas McGettrick as concelebrants.

"I am in awe of you, Sister Brigid and Sister Mary Paul. I am in awe of your experiences and your talents," proclaimed Bishop Mulvey in his homily.

"Sister Brigid, your talent as an artist and a teacher is shown throughout the world. Through your art, you show that God is good. God is beauty. We need to fill our world with beauty."

"Sister Mary Paul, the beauty of religious life" is reflected by "your continued need to serve others by your visits to the prisons," said Bishop Mulvey.

In his homily, Bishop Mulvey reflected why God sent Jesus Christ to become the Incarnate Word.

"God so loved the world he sent his son to us. The love of God became real. Love was seen, heard and touched in the person of Jesus Christ. The first disciple Christ. The first disciple of Jesus was the Virgin Mary," said Mulvey.

We all must answer to almighty God: "Here I am. We have only one choice in life; to do God's will. The will of God never changes. We must commit ourselves to God. In our formation, we must be gathered around the Lord."

Sister Brigid and Sister Mary Paul answered the call, "Follow me, when they took the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. They are true daughters of the church by living out those three vows."

"We are all called to a life of poverty of attachments, chastity to one person and obedience to God. We incarnate the mission of Jesus Christ. The love of God," explained Bishop Mulvey.

In concluding his homily, Bishop Mulvey told the congregation of Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, family and friends of Sister Brigid and Sister Mary Paul, "Sister Brigid and Sister Mary Paul have given a service of love. We congratulate you on this day for your continued service to the Lord. To incarnate the love of God."

Following the closing of the Mass, everyone gathered downstairs for a luncheon and to continue the celebration.

Sister Brigid's years of devotion to the Lord began in Corpus Christi on November 3, 1908 when she was born to Dr. Patrick O'Neill and Mary Elizabeth Mitchell O'Neill.

Dr. O'Neill was the first veterinarian in Corpus Christi, and Sister Brigid met the Incarnate Word Sisters as a young child when she accompanied her father as he tended the sisters animals.

Sister Brigid entered the convent of IWBS in 1924, and she made her first vows on September 2, 1925 and with her final profession of vows July 26, 1931.

"My mother thought I was too young to know what I was doing, but my father allowed me to join," said Sister Brigid in a 2005 interview.

"Sister Brigid was always very determined," remarked Jarlath Hoffman, a niece of Sister Brigid.

"It was wonderful that Sister Brigid knew her own mind and heart at such a young age," stated Schaloiaas Ann Edwards, another niece of Sister Brigid.

Both nieces and their families were invited guests for Sister Brigid's 85th jubilee celebration.

Sister Brigid's years of active service to the Lord were in the food services, teacher and formation director at the Motherhouse in Corpus Christi.

Sister Brigid's also demonstrated her devotion to God through her art work.

Although untrained, Sister Brigid's wood carvings has astounded and touched people all over the world.

World renown, Sister Brigid's work has been displayed in exhibits in Boston, New York and Rome.

Examples of her work are seven carved Stations of the Cross, two sets of which are in the Incarnate Word Convents in Corpus Christi and Brownsville. One of the largest and most prominent pieces is the Celtic crucifix behind the altar at St. Patrick Church in Corpus Christi and the Coat of Arms for Bishop Thomas J. Drury, hung in the Corpus Christi Cathedral and now in the Pontifical Sacristy in the Corpus Christi Cathedral.

At age 101, Sister Brigid rarely leaves the convent, but she still participates in the daily life of the convent with her prayers.

When asked about her emotions on such a joyous occasion, Sister Brigid quietly said, "I am very happy and very unworthy of all of this attention."

For Sister Mary Paul Hon, celebrating her 50th anniversary with Sister Brigid was very special for it was Sister Brigid who encouraged Sister Mary Paul to seriously consider becoming a member of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.

Born in Brownsville, Texas on June 27, 1938 to Marion Edward Hon and Pilar Padilla Hon, Sister Mary Paul grew up around the Sisters of Incarnate Word order located in Brownsville.

"I was the youngest of nine children, and from a very young age I remember going to the convent with my mother. I always had a closeness with the nuns and priests as a child," said Sister Mary Paul.

It was in early high school when Sister Mary Paul decided she wanted to dedicate her life to God.

"At first I wanted to be a medical missionary and then I thought about social work, but nothing was quite right. But when I was a junior attending Villa Maria High School in Brownsville, I started visiting with Sister Brigid. Sister Brigid taught home economics at the high school. It was Sister Brigid who influenced me. Sister Brigid is such a saintly and interesting woman. I loved listening to her stories. That is when I decided to become a member of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament order. I knew I wanted to teach," explained Sister Mary Paul.

Sister Mary Paul entered the congregation in 1958, professed her first vows on August 14th, 1960 and her final professions of vows on August 14th, 1963.

Sister Mary Paul taught in numerous Catholic schools from Corpus Christi Cathedral to St. Patrick School to St. Gertrude School in Kingsville.

She also was principal of Our Lady of Victory in Beeville, Villa Maria High School in Brownsville, and St. John Berchman School in San Antonio.

Retired from the classroom since 2000, Sister Mary Paul discovered another way to serve the Lord.

"Several times through out my adult life, people have commented that I would do well with the prison ministry. People encouraged me because they thought that I could talk easily to the prisoners and really listen to them," said Sister Mary Paul.

It was Deacon George Wiest, then chaplain at the McConnell State Prison in Beeville, Texas who gave her the final push into the prison ministry.

Deacon Wiest kept after me insisting that I would do well in this ministry, and "now I have been doing it for ten years. I love it. I have never been frightened of the inmates. I teach religion classes, RCIA classes, Bible classes and listen to the prisoners. I plan to keep doing this ministry as long as I am able," stated Sister Mary Paul.

When looking back on her fifty years as a Sister of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, Sister Mary Paul remarked, "I am thrilled to be part of this life. Vatican Council II really freed us (Sisters) and allowed us to do so much more within the Church. I have been blessed."

At age 71, Sister Mary Paul Hon shows no signs of slowing down.

"I want to continue to teach the Gospels. To teach what Christ has taught: to love others, respect others, and to forgive others. I always try to be positive and encourage others to be as positive as you can about life. There is so much goodness," concluded Sister Mary Paul.