MINEOLA, N.Y. — When Constance Eugene Eversley arrived at the St. Catherine of Siena Church 100th anniversary dinner on Nov. 9, she said she was just happy to participate in the celebration with her family. She had no idea that she would be honored for her lifelong dedication to the parish.

“When you get as old as I am, you don’t feel it,” Eversley said. “I never, ever, thought I would have met 101. I praise God every day. “I thank Him, and that’s what you should do.”

At the dinner, Eversley and 89-year-old pianist Zora Clement were awarded a New York State Assembly citation for their lifelong dedication to Our Lady of Light Parish. Eversley also received a New York State Senate Proclamation for her centenarian status.

Father Erick Balderas Vega, the parochial vicar and administrator at Our Lady of Light Parish, said he is uplifted seeing Eversley and Clement in the pews each Sunday. “It is very rare for them not to be [at Mass],” Father Vega said. “When I see them, I feel very inspired.”

Our Lady of Light Parish is comprised of St. Catherine of Siena and St. Pascal of Baylon churches, both in St. Albans. Eversley, who said only inclement weather can keep her from missing a Sunday Mass, credits her strong faith, her family history within the parish, and the kindness of her fellow parishioners for her determination.

“I like the parishioners and having people around me,” Eversley said. “They ask me how I am, and if they have a problem, they come to me as their elder.”

Over 250 people attended the St. Catherine of Siena Church’s 100th anniversary celebration at Jericho Terrace in Mineola. Many of those in attendance acknowledged the influence the church’s patron saint has had on their lives, as well as the changes that have taken place at church and St. Pascal of Baylon over the years.

Debye Burrell-Cleveland said she has seen many changes over her 20 years as a parishioner at St. Catherine of Siena. One thing that sticks out to her is seeing her first black school teacher, Mrs. Eleanor Fryer. The school was the perfect representation of the changing demographic in the area, where people of all backgrounds were welcomed, she said.

“When I came to school here, it was mixed but mostly Caucasian. The nuns were all white, and then I met our first black teacher, Mrs. Fryer. She was also our first lay teacher,” Cleveland said. “All of us kids got along. My best friend in the fourth grade was white. It didn’t matter to us. We all had the same silliness.”

Cleveland helped organize the anniversary celebration, collaborating with others to create a journal that provided background information on their patron saint. The journal also includes congratulatory letters from community members and Bishop Robert Brennan.

Father Vega, in his second year at Our Lady of Light, was proud of his parishioners’ collective effort in putting the day together. He looked forward to feeling that same sense of community throughout the night.

“There was so much collaboration, and people were very committed,” said Father Vega, who is from the Missionaries of Africa. “And this is the result — beautiful.”

Eversley, born on Nov. 3, 1923, in Guyana, South America, has lived a life rich in resilience, hard work, and faith. In search of better opportunities for herself and her family, she migrated to the United States, settling in New York City. Now, she is a living testament to the strength of the human spirit.

When Eversley became a parishioner in 1972, her sister and brother-in-law had already gotten married in St. Pascal of Baylon. “This is my family parish,” Eversley said. “[My sister and her husband] passed away long ago, but the funeral happened at the church, and I also raised my daughter in this parish.”

Clement became a St. Catherine of Siena parishioner in 1941 when she and her family relocated from Manhattan to Springfield Gardens, Queens. Using St. Catherine to further strengthen her connection to God, she attended the church’s religious classes, had her confirmation there, and was a part of the glee club from 12 years old until she graduated high school.

She also chose to marry the love of her life, Samuel M. Clement, in the church.

“St. Catherine was my church,” Clement said. “There was no other choice at that point.”