By the Franciscan Sisters
and Tony C. Diaz
The Pacific Voice Staff

Sister Gloria (Juan Marie) Aguon

A faithful Franciscan Sister and Guam daughter reached a major milestone in her religious vocation recently. And the jubilation had a golden glow to it!

Sister Gloria (Juan Marie) Aguon celebrated her Golden Jubilee as a devoted religious servant of Christ, marking 50 years of vowed religious life as a member of the Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration.

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration announced the joy in a news release from La Crosse, Wisconsin recently. A jubilee celebration was held June 12 at St. Rose Convent in Wisconsin.

Sister Gloria returned to Guam this week and will now celebrate her Golden Jubilee with family and friends here during 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Jude Church in Sinajana, Sunday, August 1.

Just hours after returning home, the devoted religious sister spent a few moments sharing her feelings during a phone interview with the Archdiocese of Agana’s weekly newspaper, The Pacific Voice,

A perennially upbeat, cheerful person, Sister Gloria expressed thanks to the people of God and Our Almighty Savior for the past 50 years.

She told The Pacific Voice she feels “very joyful and a lot of gratitude.”

“There are so many things that happened in my life that I am very grateful for,” said Sister Gloria.

After taking her religious vows 50 years ago, Sister Gloria taught the primary grades for 10 years in Wisconsin in Menomonie, Dodgeville, Boscobel and La Crosse.

After returning to her home island of Guam in the 1970s, Sister Gloria served as a teacher and/or director of religious education at St. Jude Catholic Church in Sinajana.

For decades, she worked alongside other dedicated members of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration guiding Guam’s children in schools such as St. Jude and later Bishop Baumgartner. Now however, Sister Gloria is the lone member of her religious order on Guam.

Sr. Gloria Aguon participates in the Archdiocese of Agana’s Pastoral Planning Convocation in this March of 2008 file photo. To her left is Deacon Larry Claros.

She feels immense gratitude to the Sisters for their trust in her.

“I’m the only Franciscan (Sister) here and I’m very grateful to my community, actually really to trust me,” she said. “That’s a beautiful gift of my community to trust a local girl. It’s so far away and yet they gave me that trust; to trust me to do the work that was intended by the Lord for me to fulfill.”

Sister Gloria is currently teaching Reading and Math at Bishop Baumgartner Memorial Catholic School, and also works in pastoral ministry in Sinajana.

As she celebrates her 50^th jubilee, she thanks the people for their support and prayers. She asks people to continue to do their best to stay focused on Christ and be concerned and loving toward one another.

“Listen to God,” she urged. “Reach out to people that they are with … in order for them to be successful, listen to one another. And not only to one another but listen to what the Lord is trying to tell them.”

Based in La Crosse, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration consists of more than 300 women religious engaged in furthering the work of the Catholic Church and the Gospel. Their partners in ministry, including more than 220 affiliates and 120 prayer partners, join them in service of God’s mission. The sisters work in the United States and internationally in varied ministries, creating innovative approaches to healing, teaching and praying.

The Church on Guam and our island rejoices in Sister Gloria’s jubilee joy. Thank you and congratulations for all that you have done for God and our people these past 50 years, Sister Gloria!

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Sister Gloria on Catholic Radio

Sister Gloria will be a guest on the GOOD NEWS GUAM SHOW 9-10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 20 on Catholic Educational Radio, KOLG 90.9 FM, “The Light of the Marianas”. She will join hosts Tony Diaz, Marilyn Manibusan and Ray Fernandez reflecting on the Sunday Gospel of July 11, 2010  – the GOOD NEWS – and also sharing her thoughts on the past 50 years as a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration.

For a recorded CD copy of the GOOD NEWS GUAM SHOW featuring Sister Gloria as guest, please email Tony Diaz at tdiaz@archagana.org or call (671) 472-6116, ext. 225. To help cover production costs, a donation of $6 is appreciated; $10 for off-island requests.