More than 100 Sisters, Maria Center residents, coworkers, and friends gathered on July 28, 2025, to celebrate a land acknowledgment, blessing, and groundbreaking for the newly expanded Catherine’s Cottage—a future residence for the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ (PHJC).

Following a period of discernment, the Sisters made the thoughtful decision to create a space that honors and supports members of the congregation as they age. The new Catherine’s Cottage will provide a welcoming, purpose-built home that reflects the values of care, dignity, and community.

Sister Shirley Bell, PHJC, United States Province Leader, welcomed guests and emphasized the importance of planning for a long, healthy future rooted in faith and compassion. “The groundbreaking of this addition to Catherine’s Cottage is more than the beginning of a building,” It’s a continuation of a mission that began with Saint Katherina Kasper, our foundress, who followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit with courage, simplicity, and unwavering faith. Catherine’s Cottage addition is being built to provide a home where we Sisters can continue to live the gospel and share our lives in service to others through prayer, presence, and ministry.”

Sister Marybeth Martin, PHJC led a moving land acknowledgment and blessing, inviting all present to remember that the community lives, works, and shares space on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Peoria, Bodwéwadmi (Potawatomi), Kaskaskia, Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), and Myaamia (Miami) peoples—whose deep connection to the land and waters endures through time.

As part of the ceremony, Rev. Thaddeus Balinda blessed the ground with holy water, transforming the site into sacred space. Attendees were invited to join in the blessing, sprinkling holy water not only on the construction site but also among one another, symbolizing shared hope and unity.

The ceremonial first shoveling brought together PHJC Sisters, Maria Center residents, coworkers, friends, and representatives from DJ Construction, the firm overseeing the project. Each participant took part using gold shovels, marking the beginning of this meaningful endeavor.

A special moment in the ceremony featured Sister Jolise May, PHJC, who used a historic shovel that had previously broken ground in Donaldson—first in 1968 for the groundbreaking of Catherine Kasper Home, then again in 2010 for MoonTree Studios, and now once more for Catherine’s Cottage.