Party with the Sisters Who Never Stop (Working, That Is)
Friday, February 17th, 6:00-10:30 pm
Cotillion Banquets, 360 S. Creekside Dr., Palatine
Find out what's happening in Palatinefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
$75 (dinner, drinks, entertainment) - 847.577.5972
Father Dan Brady of Our Lady of the Wayside to be Honored
Find out what's happening in Palatinefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The Sisters of the Living Word are preparing for their 24th annual Mardi Gras Magic fundraiser, to be held on Friday, February 17. For those who attend, it’s a once-a-year opportunity to party while supporting a very worthy cause. For the “SLW”, it’s all in a day’s…or a year’s…or a lifetime’s work.
Did you know that nuns never truly retire?
“They work relentlessly. They own nothing, and it doesn’t worry them in the least,” notes Arlington Heights resident Gary Colabuono, spokesperson for the event.
“The sisters are practical, kind and down to earth,” he says. “Working with them is amazing and extremely rewarding. Just being around them brings peace into my life.”
More than two-thirds of the 68 sisters are technically retired or semi-retired. Nonetheless, most all of them are actively engaged in some form of ministry—whether working with AIDS patients, promoting peace, counseling teenage mothers, feeding the hungry, or helping the homeless.
These remarkable women, presumably in their 70s and 80s, teach computer classes to senior citizens, tutor Catholic school students, and even serve as dog walkers, among other things. Their unofficial motto is “A Sister Never Retires.”
However, after age 75, they work primarily as volunteers rather than on an official or “paid” basis. It may not be most people’s idea of retirement, but then again, they’ve dedicated their entire lives to making the world a better place.
And you can help make the world a better place, too, simply by attending their party and having a ball.
The evening includes a Creole-inspired dinner, drinks, a silent auction, and the crowning of the Mardi Gras King and Queen. For many, the highlight of the evening is the Mardi Gras parade, complete with a procession of entertaining cardboard floats. Costumes and casual dress are encouraged.
This year, the Sisters will present Father Dan Brady, Senior Priest at Our Lady of the Wayside parish in Arlington Heights, with the Partners in Mission Award. He first met the Sisters of the Living Word in 1975 as a young priest at Holy Trinity Church in Chicago. It was during this time that the order was founded. He has been a friend to them ever since.
Despite the festive atmosphere, the gala serves a serious purpose. The donations raised will support the sisters in their ministry, which includes local, regional, and even international programs. You can learn more about their good works at www.slw.org.
Tickets are $75 each, and RSVPs are requested by February 2nd. To purchase tickets or more information, contact Robin Shorden at 847.577.5972.
