al Help. It was encouraged by the deep devotion to the Mother of God that is inherent in the Byzantine Church and among all Slav people, and by the presentation by Pope Pius XI of an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to the Sisters with the request that they spread devotion to her. This Pilgrimage has become the largest Byzantine Catholic Pilgrimage in North America where hierarchy, clergy, religious and people gather yearly over the Labor Day weekend to give glory to God and honor to his Mother.
When the Sisters moved to Uniontown, they were able to widen the vistas of their apostolate. The Sisters began an ecclesiastical sewing department, weekend retreats for laity inaugurated the Retreat Ministry, numerous catechetical schools thrived in the various parishes and an Academy for girls flourished from 1939 to 1968. Today, the original Thompson Mansion is a House of Prayer where groups and individuals receive spiritual direction and refreshment.
The neighboring mansion where Mr. Thompson’s son and family lived became St. Basil’s Personal Care Home for women in 1947 until 1999, when this building became a home for 12 years of another ministry – the rehabilitation of women who have been involved in substance abuse.
In 1964 the present Monastery, which houses the offices of the Provincial Administration and Sisters’ Residence was completed. This building is also home to a Greeting Card Department. The Religious Gift and Icon Shop are also located on the grounds.
The Sisters built Mount Macrina Manor in 1971, a 133-bed licensed long-term care facility that offers both intermediate and skilled nursing care. It likewise features a Memory Care Unit and a Hospice Care Unit. It has recently completed a two-year renovation begun in 2015 and now includes both in-house and outpatient Rehabilitation Services.
The Sisters provided a number of other ministries throughout the years: Prayer Ministry, Pastoral Ministry, Diocesan Religious Education Office Staffing, Diocesan and Chancery Office Staffing, Seminary Administration, Fine Arts, Culinary and Domestic support service, translation and publication of Liturgical Books, Iconography and evangelization to wherever God has called.
This brief history then is a part of the telling of the Lord’s wondrous deeds that are too many to recount. As He has inspired and led the Sisters of this Province for over 90 years, and they have followed the many paths that He chose for them, it can be said that what is not written is surely imprinted upon the hearts of those whose lives they have touched.
An excerpt from our Mission Statement reads:
“Jesus Christ calls us to be his praying, healing and life-giving presence.” This has been our focus in our many and varied ministries for the Church and on our grounds. As we seek to divest ourselves of some of our property and/or buildings, we pray that those who use them after us may do so wisely, showing the same concern and care that we have done in these past 90 years.