By Rita McInerney

The Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart serving in Atlanta and other parts of the southern area marked the 250^th anniversary of their founding at a prayer service May 3 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 2855 Briarcliff Road.

They celebrated the vision of their founder, Marguerite D’Youville, who established the order in 1737 in Montreal, Canada, and dedicated her life to serving the poor, the sick and the lonely.

The program blended a slide presentation of the life and works of the foundress with scenes of today’s Grey Nuns at work here in education, health and outreach with the elderly, and in pastoral service.

Four laypersons whose lives they have touched presented testimonials. Barbara Johanson, a student of the sisters from first grade at Christ the King School through D’Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y., gave a fond litany of the many Grey Nuns she has known, in her own school years, through her children’s school days and as an active member of Christ the King parish.

Tim Porter – O’Grady, R.N., whose mother was taught by Canadian Grey Nuns in the 1930s, spoke about the commitment to serve which drew him to work in their ministry.

The ability of the sisters to see beauty in the frail elderly was mentioned by Bea Olinger, a former Grey Nun student now a pastoral minister at St. Jude’s parish in Sandy Springs. Their work is a holistic service centered in the Eucharist, she said.

John Dearie, active in religious education and evangelization at Corpus Christi parish, spoke of their ability to meet the many and varied needs of God’s people.

Monsignor John F. McDonough, former diocesan administrator and long time administrator at Christ the King parish, spoke of the “charity almost beyond comprehension” which Marguerite D’Youville extended anyone in need, always in a spirit of joy and companionship.

The program included readings from the life of the foundress, Hands To The Needy. Alan Brown was organist and Mary Jane Insull was cantor.

Marguerite D’Youville was beatified in 1955. Her cause for canonization has now reached the final stages.

The Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, the American branch of the congregation, was founded on Aug. 24, 1921. In 1937, Bishop Gerald P. O’Hara invited them to staff Christ the King School. In July of that year, four sisters arrived in Atlanta.

Fifteen members of the congregation are now serving in the archdiocese. Since 1937, approximately 172 members have served here.

Sister Jean Liston, principal of Christ the King School for 12 years, in March was elected superior general of the American congregation. She will begin a five-year term in July. She will direct the mission of approximately 240 sisters from the motherhouse in Yardley, Pa.