Will God stop the plague?

Feb 15, 2021 | FORUM

Nothing new under the sun                  

I am looking at the epidemic situation related to Covid 19, which continues to open up many new questions for us related to the topic of the pandemic. While looking for the word plague in the Bible, I encounter the prayer of Josaphat:

“If misfortune befall us, a punishing sword, pestilence or famine, we will stand before this temple and you, because your name resides in this temple, and we will cry to you in our tribulation, then you will hear us and save us” (2 Chronicles 20 , 9)

“I have seen everything that happens under the sun. And here it is: all this is vanity and the pursuit of the wind ”(Eccl 1:14). – says Kohelet, starting his theoretical considerations under the joint title “Nothing new under the sun”.

The prayer of Josaphat is complemented by the request of Sr. M. Dulcissima Hoffmann: “Jesus, show people that You are the Lord of everything.

Direction to Heaven

While experiencing the difficulties caused by the pandemic, we seek God’s help. And He, who is the Lord of time and history, tears us out of our everyday lives, organizes us and directs us to Himself. Global pandemics have been accompanying mankind for years, awakening from sleep and introducing new tasks, the search for effective vaccines. Experiencing a pandemic has been a call to love God and neighbor for centuries. The times when the handmaid of God, Sr. M. Dulcissima Hoffmann, lived was not free from the pandemic. Humanity has been hit by an epidemic of cholera, Spanish flu, typhus and dysentery.

Cholera

The horrifying cholera epidemic was an acute, infectious and contagious intestinal disease caused by bacteria, first diagnosed in Calcutta, India in 1817. It arrived in Silesia at the end of the 19th century. The outbreak of the Great War in 1914, related to the displacement of the army, contributed to the reappearance of the contagious disease in Gliwice, Mysłowice, Stare Bieruń and Pszczyna.

Typhus, dysentery and smallpox

The main epidemiological threat in Silesia, however, became spotted typhus and dysentery, which was associated with the so-called The “starvation winter” of 1916/1917 and the translocation of the army. Smallpox appeared at the end of the First World War. In the absence of effective medicines, only routine measures were taken: separation and disinfection.

Spanish

In the years 1918-1919, the epidemic that wreaked dreads was the global flu called “Spanish flu”, which is considered to be the greatest pandemic known in modern history. The mutant H1N1 flu virus, the influenza A virus, has infected as many as 30 percent of the world’s population. The “Spanish” flu killed twenty million people in Europe, and estimates show that up to half a billion people around the world have become infected.

Typhus in the Hoffmans’

At the end of January 1919, another epidemic of typhus broke out. The contagious disease affected the inhabitants of Silesia, including the family of the “Bride of the Cross”. Her mother, Albina nee Jarząbek, accompanied by her uncle Francis Hoffmann, father’s older brother Józef Hoffmann, paid a visit to her parents’ home in Gąsiorowice near Strzelce Opolskie. After returning to Zgoda, Franciszek fell ill with typhus. Nine-year-old Helena found herself in a completely new and uncertain situation. The house was closed by the police. The whole family was placed under quarantine, and Albina Hoffmann and her children were transported for observation to the hospital in Nowy Bytom. We ended up in the hospital. We were separated and locked in a room with barred windows. We were well looked after for the first days – reports Helena. January 1919 was exceptionally difficult for the Hoffmans’ family. On January 8, Józef Hoffmann died at the age of thirty-two, orphaned his nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son. Albina was widowed at twenty-nine. This young woman with a sore heart was anxious for her and her children’s future. After a few days of observation in the hospital, doctors realized that Albina Hoffmann was insolvent and there was no person to pay for the treatment costs. They offered her a job at the hospital: she scooped up coal with a shovel, and with buckets she used to draw water from the tap in the morgue located in its basement. Tired of serving among the sick, she did not doubt because she wanted to secure the existence of the children. Sister Dulcissima in her childhood notes recalls: God looked after us. After five weeks of hospital observation, Albina and her children were released home. The apartment was looted while she was absent from Zgoda. She found herself in a terrible situation. Helena watched her mother closely and noticed that her eyes were wandering towards the cross; she also heard her mother’s words: Honestly and courageously, I will start all over again to remain the same mother. Albina did God’s will without complaint. It was then that she decided to fulfill the will of her deceased husband – she was to marry his eldest brother – Francis.

Will God Stop the Pandemic?

That’s an interesting question. In the background, we hear the Lord’s Psalmist cry: “Stay, and in me, recognize God exalted among the nations, exalted on earth!” (Ps 46:11). God is the Lord of our lives. Let us not be afraid to surrender all our anxieties and difficulties to Heavenly Father. “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you” (1 Pet 5: 7). The epidemic continues and starts the pandemic of good, and trusting prayer rises to God like incense (Ps 27). The handmaid of God, Sr. M. Dulcissima, stands up to the task and intercedes for all of us who invoke her in prayer. Here are some examples:

“I am asking for prayers for my grandfather Stanisław through the exhibition of my sister Maria Dulcissima, who was diagnosed with cancer relapse. Grandfather gives Sister Dulcissima great praise for the favors received. Some time ago, he was telling me with tears in his eyes that in the face of the disease which was gallbladder cancer, he prayed for her intercession and felt a surge of warmth, he felt so “nice and blissful” and heard the words, after all today is my birthday ” and it took place on the anniversary of sister Dulcissima’s birthday. After these events and surgeries, the disease disappeared and my grandfather regularly visited my sister’s grave. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with relapse. Please pray for relief from suffering and recovery. “(Daniel – Poland, December 2020).

“I am asking for prayer for my father, Józef, for the gift of confession and conversion, as well as physical and spiritual healing” (Ania – Poland).

“Please pray for a young mother who was hospitalized because of the coronavirus.” (Maria – Poland).

“Through the intercession of Sr. Dulcissima, please pray for Halina, who was affected by Covid-19 and was taken to hospital in Gliwice” (Janina – Poland).

“I am asking for prayer for my husband, he has been diagnosed with cancer and it turns out that he has contracted the coronavirus. Let Sr. Dulcissima help us, she can ask for so much. We know it! ” (Beata – Poland).

“I’m trying to get a holy card with relics from Sister M. Dulcissima Hoffman. A few months ago I had a heart attack and since then I feel like my thirst has increased …. Can you help me? (João – Portugal).

“Honorable <bridesmaids> [nuns], I am Silesian, therefore this title is given to you. As a child, my Grandmother scared me that if I wasn’t polite, they would take me. But seriously, Sr. Dulcissima is my guardian and <friend>, when there is a problem and you think humanly that this is the bottom, I always pray to my fellow countryman with the words: <sister, get to work and help me because the dark night is drawing near, and it has never let me down before. From the moment the documentation is handed over to the Vatican [in my house], the lamp next to her photo is on, and it will stay on as long as my friend. will not be declared blessed. I am asking for prayer at the grave of my <friend> (Wojciech – Manchester, for 15 years in exile in England, January 2021).

Prayer:

Lord, the deaf regain their hearing and the blind eyesight, no one has left the tomb of your servant unheard. And do not despise my prayer, but deign to hear it. Amen

Sr. M. Małgorzata Cur SMI

A gift from God placed in the hands of Mary

Feb 11, 2021 | FORUM

From the beginning of my stay in our Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, I have led the religious life typical of the Sisters who are active. I tried to live and fulfill my duties as a religious. It would seem that everything was in order …

However, at some point in my life I began to feel unsatisfied, as if something was missing, as if my devotion to the Lord Jesus was not complete. I felt a kind of superficiality in religious life. I did not feel in my heart the spiritual depth and full union with the Lord Jesus. I fulfilled everything, but at the same time I felt a shallowness in my soul. I wanted to serve the Lord Jesus with the fullness of the talents that I received as a gift, but I was not able to fully define what the Lord Jesus expects from me and what I should do to make my life more meaningful. I wanted to see this path prepared from my Savior just for me. I also did not feel a strong bond with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Immaculate Conception, my Patroness.

I began to wonder if this is already routine, spiritual burnout? … Is this how my next life is going to pass? … Just thinking about it, I couldn’t accept it. Deep in my soul I felt a certain powerlessness. I did not have enough strength to shout that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. How close to my heart were the words of Psalm 63; 2 “God, my God, I am looking for You,  my soul desires you like a dry land” …

I began to earnestly ask the Lord Jesus to give me some light of discernment. I began to dig inside me and look for what was an obstacle that I could not run after my Lord like this burnt offering, even though I wanted to.

Thus began in my soul the time of interior searches to find obstacles that make it difficult for me to follow the Lord Jesus completely, to give Him everything, leaving nothing for myself.

One of the first steps I took at the beginning of this search was to find the Eucharist with a prayer for healing, because I felt the need to do so. Then I was offered to participate in such a Holy Mass. I made up my mind and went with the intention that Jesus would heal me with His spousal love and rekindle my love for Him in me. I wanted so much to possess Him and belong completely to Him.

Taking part in this Eucharist, I prayed for the intention for which I came here and with which I did not part in my heart. At some point, I had an amazing experience, as if such a spiritual touch from God, and I felt my heart flooded with unlimited love, incredible warmth, a feeling of complete security, joy and peace. At the same time, I had an inner feeling of Mary’s presence. Then tears appeared in my eyes.

From that moment on, the gradual cleansing of my soul began. This continued for several months as I gradually saw the changes taking place within me. I felt the Lord Jesus purifying me, healing me, removing my fears and pouring His light into me and giving me His strength.

I started to lead an intense spiritual life connected with reciting religious prayers with great zeal, reading the Word of God and full participation in the Eucharist, in systematic Holy Confession and in Adoration. I have participated in seminars, retreats, and spiritual formations, and this has given me strength and noticeably strengthened my spirit.

Now I can say that it was a time when Jesus taught me humility and gradually prepared me for the ministry of helping those who were lost in life. I also realized that by God’s grace, man must first suffer some kind of damage to his soul, experience complete helplessness in order to experience the truthfulness of His words, because “without me you cannot do anything” {J16,5}.

Experiencing such a state enables the soul to better understand those who are lost, sometimes even stood on the precipice of total destruction, who, after all, need help so much, but do not know where to go for it. Then you perceive more and you want to save such souls more.

In 2011, I met the late Father Andrzej Smolka, who was an exorcist, as well as my spiritual teacher. It was the Father who taught me how to pray, how to help those who need spiritual help, and at the same time he was an example for me.

A person serving in a prayer team for deliverance should: live in a state of sanctifying grace, experience an evangelizing retreat, should take care of his spiritual development, should be characterized by Christian maturity, holiness of life, humility and obedience to church authorities, approach the sacrament of the Eucharist and reconciliation.

Meetings with the Father were held weekly, every Wednesday. Various people came with the confidence that the Father would help them. At the Father’s side, my ministry lasted 5 years.

In addition, I took part in the Father’s retreat, in seminars, meetings, and systematically participated in the World Conference on the ministry of liberation organized by the IAD with the participation of exorcists from all over Poland and Europe, and ministers of liberation. Over time, the deterioration of the Father’s health forced him to resign from the ministry of exorcists.

In 2012, I was also offered to participate in the meetings of the Mamre community and since then I have been its constant supporter, I have accompanied this community all the time. I must admit that this is a Community that is undergoing a good formation, so it is spiritually strong. He also organizes a 10-day holiday retreat every year.

Currently, I am serving in Deacons deliverance prayers with Fr. Kristian Charchut – an exorcist.

Young people, and even children, through the mass media using subliminal programs that are used in music, computer games, and even fairy tales, are at high risk of becoming infected with occultism. Various amulets are spread more and more. Even through the lyrics of the songs, one acts in a manner designed to enslave innocent and ignorant human souls. The effects of this are later dire. People also look for solutions to their problems with various types of bioenergotherapists, fairies, magicians.

Spiritual service to such people is very much needed today. Young people and even adults are often lost. Also, the situation in our country is not conducive to anything good. There are no authorities, or at least they are not visible, because the loudest and best through the mass media is what promotes immoral, contrary to God’s Commandments and gives bad models.

Most often it is occult slavery. There are problems in families where there is no God and although there may even be material abundance, but there is no love. There are also pathological families where children and adolescents are left on their own.

I think that helping such people is also related to the charism of our Congregation, which is called to help those in danger of spiritual dangers, and participation in this service that I perform gives the opportunity to save those who have already fallen into these dangers. In today’s reality, the number of such people continues to grow.

I thank God and Mary for taking me to these places. Thank you for the priests with whom I have served and for the people I have met. I thank the superiors for allowing me to fulfill this ministry and for all those who support me with their prayers. For a change of heart, for a service in which I can participate and fulfill it, which is for me a gift from God placed in the hands of Mary.

Sr. Kinga

43rd NATIONAL REMEMBRANCE DAY FOR LIFE – FEBRUARY 7TH 2021

Feb 7, 2021 | FORUM

This day for life is a national day of remembrance in Italy and is of course especially celebrated in the church.

For some time now, our convent has been going to the nearby parish church of St. Francis for Holy Mass on Sundays. It is run by a convention of Piarist Priests. Also on this February 7th we were there for Holy Mass and the priest of the parish, Padre Stefano, naturally also addressed this topic in his sermon. It touched us very much and I would like to share a few thoughts about it with you.

Fr. Stefano began his sermon by reminding us that Christian life also has a prophetic dimension. This dimension does not mean to predict things of the future, but to say the word of God into our present time and above all to live it. He made this clear with two examples from his time as a priest in the Ivory Coast, a country in West Africa. He saw the first example around 2003. He received a call from a catechist. French is spoken in the Ivory Coast, and the catechist spoke French too, if not a good one. Father Stefano could hardly understand him. But the catechist called several times and so the priest realized that it was urgent and therefore went on his way to see what it was about. He came to a small village and the catechist received him with a small, newborn child. This child had given birth to a Muslim woman, but it was not her husband’s child. According to Muslim law, such a child could not stay in the family and it was a lot that she was allowed to give birth. It had been brought to the catechist in several detours. But what should happen to the child now? Fr. Stefano first brought the child to a medical examination to make sure that it was healthy. Of course, word of this had got around and a young woman answered who was ready to take care of the child. Fr. Stefano and the catechist then spoke to the family to see if they agreed. They were it. But not only did they agree to this, but in the near future some family members contacted Fr. Stefano with the wish to become Christians. She had been impressed by the commitment of the priest and the catechist. Not only was a teaching proclaimed here, such as the preciousness of human life, but it was lived convincingly in everyday life.

He saw the second example years later, in 2011, when civil war broke out in the country. The mission station of the Fathers was exactly between the fronts, i.e. between the government troops and the rebels. There was shooting and the people in the area were afraid and sought protection at the mission station, among other things. They came in droves and soon there was no more space. In this tense situation, Fr. Stefano called the bishop and asked him whether it was possible that people could sleep in the church, otherwise they would have no more space. There were over a thousand people. So the church became a place to sleep for those seeking protection. Among these people was a young, heavily pregnant woman and the time of childbirth came for her. What now? Fr. Stefano acted quickly and took her to the nearest hospital. But this was closed in these troubled times. So he drove back to the mission station. There they tried to prepare a small, protected and separated room for this woman. She gave birth to a healthy girl without complications. This woman was also a Muslim. But after the birth she also asked to be allowed to become a Christian, because the selfless commitment of the Father had convinced her that the God of Christians is really a philanthropic God, to whom the life of every person is precious, regardless of his religion, his Gender or race and nation.

Fr. Stefano ended his sermon with the call to all of us that we, as Christians, must take this prophetic dimension of our lives seriously and how important it is not to preach catechesis in words but to live it convincingly and authentically in everyday life.

Sr. M. Petra

In a conversation – by the way

Feb 7, 2021 | FORUM

I am happy to meet you here in our senior citizen center in Cochem on the Klosterberg, our employees. Yes, and today I happened to meet “our” Agatha while cleaning and just said to her:

“Nice that you are here and keep order:”

Her answer: Sister Agnes taught us how to make order 50 years ago.

I came to the Klosterberg in 1972 for a housekeeping year and then stayed with Sister Agnes for 25 years.

It was not always easy to get along with her and to please her … but for my personal life I have – learned a lot from her and I’m proud of that now.

Next year I will retire – then I was with the Sisters of Mary for a total of 50 years and I can only be amazed where the time has gone.

It was and is a precious time. I like to look back on the past few years – even now I like coming into the house and am always happy when I do.

“My Sisters of Mary” meet – they always have a good word for us employees and we know that they pray for us … that feels so good !!!

Yes, what would have become of me – if the sisters hadn’t accompanied me on my journey through life.

I am very grateful to everyone and I will continue to be loyal to the sisters. The sisters have now grown old and maybe I can at least give them back some of the good things I got from them ”.

Ms. Agatha works as an employee in all housekeeping areas in Klosterberg. She ensures order in the whole house, even in the places that are otherwise easily overlooked.

We thank her and wish her continued God’s blessings.

Sister M. Felicitas