On October 10th, 2017 Bishop Robert McManus called us for a meeting at the chancery. Brother Thomas Augustine and Sister Katherine Maria were named to represent the order and also present were the chancellor and diocese’s canon lawyer. The purpose of the meeting was to finalize the status of our community. 
The Bishop with the affirmation of the others present said that he was elevating The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saint Benedict Center, Inc., to the status of a “Public Association of the Faithful” in the Diocese of Worcester Massachusetts.
It was “long overdue,” as the Bishop said. We all agreed and could feel the blessing of the late Brother Hugh, our second founder, on this momentous event. The entire community rejoiced with the news and a week later, we celebrated when the formal document arrived.
During Christmas week, Sister Katherine Maria invited the Bishop for an informal lunch at the convent to meet the all the Sisters. It was a delightful afternoon with a lively exchange of stories. Some of the Sisters sang a song they wrote to commemorate this long-awaited blessing of our status. The Bishop recognized the tune “Roddy McCorley” almost immediately!
The visit ended too soon for all of us and was definitely the highlight of our Christmas week.