| Receiving my Missionary Cenacle pin made a difference in my
life. At first, I wore it only to meetings and special occasions.
I really wasn't sure if I was supposed.to wear it more often. Then
Nancy Beukenkamp, a newly pinned MCA said to me, "I wear it every
day, it's an 'Aaaah... experience' every new day that I pin it on."
Marvine Waite, who was our General Custodian for eight years, says: " I wear my pin daily because it is a visible sign of a way of life I have
chosen--to be a missionary." Cenacle members have indicated to me
that it helps to open the door to others who ask, "What is your pin?"
It gives them an opportunity to witness and share what being a missionary
means today. Dr. Harold Grant shared the following information about our pin with me, and I would like to pass it on to you. |
In 1923 there appeared in the Pentecost Bulletin which was a published monthly the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity the following design.
Also in 1923, the Rule of Life of the Missionary Cenacle was adopted and the community consisted of two divisions, the Inner and Outer Cenacle. The Inner Cenacle consisted of two bodies, a community of priests and brothers and a community of sisters called the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity. They took vows for the purpose of developing an apostolic and missionary spirit. The Outer Cenacle was composed of generous-hearted lay persons under the direction of the Inner Cenacle. The members of the Outer Cenacle took no vows, but were encouraged to practice a particular devotion to the Blessed Trinity and help the priests and sisters in the work of conversion and reclamation.
According to Sr. Terry Ahern, at Christmas, 1938, the Sisters' pin was given to them, and it is the same as worn today. Their pin was adapted once for a period of about four years when the sisters adapted secular clothing. It was smaller, and of a more modern design. (Mother Boniface never wore the pin.) The original pin was modeled after the corporate seal design invented when the sisters were incorporated in 1918.
Around 1943 a pin was designed for the Outer Missionary Cenacle in a nickel/pewter material. It was smaller than a dime, and it looked like this:
By 1952 a new Constitution was published separate from the original Handbook and Book of Prayers and the name was changed from outer Missionary Cenacle to Missionary Cenacle Apostolate. The pin changed again. It was made of the same material, but was a little larger and looked like this:
In 1972, the pin changed drastically. The pin was the same material, but it was tiny (difficult to work with). This change accompanied the New Constitution in which the sisters and priests no longer appointed, the Missionary Cenacle officers. They were elected by the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate.
The present design originated when the present Rule of Life was adopted in 1984. Dr. Harold Grant did a survey and out of the results came the decision that most Associates of the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate wanted to return to the traditional design. It was made a little larger to accommodate the title MISSIONARY CENACLE APOSTOLATE, and the final design was somewhat altered by the Philadelphia jeweler who manufactured it.
1994