In a conversation – by the way
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
Testimony of Sr. M. Benona SMI
I got to know the congregation through my older sisters who worked in Fridrichstahl (Zagwiździe), where I lived. The sisters looked after children and the elderly there, and they also visited the sick. There was one older sister Gerwazja who loved me very much, and I loved her also. This acquaintance drew me to the monastery ("I drew them with human bonds, and they were bonds of love" Hosea 11: 4). Unfortunately, in January 1943, the Russians (Russians) shot Sister Gerwzia. That day she came from the sick, and there was a Rusek who hurt her and then led her out into the yard. She knelt beside a lilac bush, and he killed her with a shot to the side of the head. The sisters took her home and after 3 days she was buried without a priest who was also afraid that they would shoot him. Ultimately, it also happened. My father broke the coffin, dug a grave and laid Sr. Gerwazja in the ground, without any funeral ceremonies. She is lying there in the cemetery to this day. From the age of 15 I had been working for sisters as a help with the care of elderly women and children. I was washing and cleaning. At that time I thought that God specially educates and stores in some special place girls who want to become religious sisters, and then sends them to a monastery. I wanted to enter a monastery, I didn't care what it was. I also knew the Noterdam sisters, but they kept their distance from me, they were unavailable, and I wanted more and more to join and be one of the sisters, so I came to the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, because they embraced me, showed a lot of warmth and interest. I wrote a letter to Sister Agreda in German, because I did not speak Polish yet. I wanted to join on October 1st. She wrote back to me to come in early to go to school from September 1st. And that's how it happened. Together with other candidates, we rejoiced to be together in the convent, there were 14 of us. We were very close, we loved each other. In my candidacy, for the first time I had a dream about the Founding Father, i.e. his tomb. On both sides stood two little beautiful angels, they held the light in their hands and said: "come here to the Founder and pray, he always listens to you." At that time, I did not know the Founder, at first I was just glad to be in the monastery. After this dream, I began to get to know our Founder more, I began to pray for his intercession and feel a bond with him. Later in 1953, while already being deported to Otorowo, I had a dream again of Founder. I only saw him then. He was supposed to be a bishop, but he came in plain clothes, he had black trouser and a white shirt, he was tall, slim and dignified. We were curious how long we would stay there, we waited for him to tell us. We knew it comes from heaven. He raised his hand, looked right, left and said, "Hold on, sisters, hold on." Behind him was an Angel who talked to the sisters and gave us black wool. We followed Father Founder, but only we could get to the border of the house, then not, because he started to ascend to heaven. We were like disciples who looked at the Ascension of the Lord Jesus. This dream gave me more joy, a willingness to pray and to life in general. On March 25, at the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 10 sisters and myself made their perpetual vows in Otorowo. It was very modest, but joyful. We got wedding rings (I don't know where from) and sleeves as a gift. I was very happy. I was one of the youngest, I was 23 years old. They took a picture of us. The Ursuline Sisters, who lived 10 km away, visited us, and for holidays and celebrations - they made us surprises to make us happy. Initially, I worked in the field for 3 months. We were collecting potatoes, beetroots, it was harvest. Later, I sewed shirts and sheets on the machine, ironed them (75 shirts a day, but I ironed more), sewed buttons. There was matins every morning, then Holy Mass, noon prayers at noon, and vespers in the afternoon. We prayed the Latin breviary, I presided often. In summer, when it was hot, we prayed outside, sitting on benches made of wooden boards. The following year, in January, they let us out. The stay in Otorowo strengthened my vocation, I was not discouraged by this experience. Only one sister left after her first vows because her mother had come for her. There were 120 sisters there, but only one went. If my mother had come to pick me up, I wouldn't have gone. I am proud that I am in the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate and that Mary watches over us, because she is closest to the Lord Jesus, she is our Protector and Help of Christians. She is ours and we are her children. In the most difficult moments, I was supported by mutual love and the joy of being in the community. I experienced that being together gives strength. Now I am 84 years old and I am waiting for one more dream, when the Founder will come to me. I want to hear what he tells me. Nysa, 03/11/2014 (She listened and wrote down Sr. Rachela Wąsowicz)
To be like Enoch
“And Enoch lived in intimacy with God. Then he disappeared because God took him. " (Genesis 5:24). The literal translation of this text is: "Enoch walked with God, and then he was gone, because God took him." "... walked with God ..." that's right. But what does that actually mean to me? Well, recently this short phrase has become the basis of my relationship with Jesus, because I discover the beauty of being constantly in His presence. It seems to be obvious for a nun, but I must honestly admit that it was not always like that for me. I mean, of course, the awareness of his constant presence, not on the basis of fear and the feeling of being trapped. On the contrary - on the basis of freedom and an awakened desire to "live abundantly". This "walking with God" is characterized by simplicity of expression, simple gestures. For me, staying in His presence means, for example, not dividing my time during the day into pieces such as: now it's time for work, now for prayer, and now "for myself", etc. If my life were to be cut, I risked that I would not want to invite Him everywhere … Because I find that some part of my world is not "holy" enough to accept His presence. But it is He who sanctifies with His PRESENCE. And I don't want to share this anymore. And most of all, I am aware that He does not want it. He, on the other hand, wants to share every time with me… literally. On this occasion, I will reveal my, maybe a little funny, habit of drinking tea. When the circumstance causes me to do it myself (which I generally dislike), I put two mugs on top and invite Jesus. Sometimes we drink in silence, but most of the time He just listens… and that's enough. It may be strange or banal, but such a gesture helps me a lot to remind myself that time belongs to Him. And if I would spare 15 minutes for Him now over a cup of tea, what will I do with Him for all eternity? The feeling of being constantly before God's face helps when temptations come. It is easier and faster to reflect then and ask Jesus: "Do you like what I did?" "Walking with God" is also the basis of a mindful and simple life, living in the present. If I walk "by the hand" with God, I am focused on the signs of His presence in my life, in the world around me. Then I don't need a lot of things, experiences, crowds of people around me. On the contrary - I can "settle for little", because I have HIM with me… so I have everything (I do not try to feed myself with just anything when I have SENS with me). And I live in the present, because God is in it (not in dwelling on the past and not in worrying about tomorrow). Every now and then I ask myself a question that verifies and sets me up spiritually: do you see that my heart is really already occupied? (i.e. am I really the bride? Is it known that I am already "walking" with Someone? Is there a recognizable sign of being a "woman of God" in me apart from my habit?). My answers are painful, but they help us return to the trodden path with Him. “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had taken him. Before he was taken away, however, he received a testimony that he was pleasing to God. " (Hebrews 11: 5) Oh, how much I would like to receive such a testimony from God ... Sr. Franciszka Jarnot
The power of prayer
The inhabitants of Brzezie stand with great trust at the tomb of Sr. Dulcissima, praying for intentions that, humanly speaking, cannot be resolved. The belief that Sister Dulcissima continues to help (as she promised) is still alive and gives spiritual wings to those who ask God through her intercession. Regina, as she says herself, is still in a very close relationship with God's servant. Sister Dulcissima never let her down and one night she dreamed of asking her not to stop praying. Among the many favors she tells about, there is also a childhood experience that poignantly tells about the healing of her mother Lucia. This testimony confirms the fact that prayer has great power. Certificate In November 1956, my mother, Lucia became seriously ill. She was then 35 years old. At that time, there were five children at home, the youngest sister was 1 year old. Doctors gave no hope. The operation revealed a rupture and spilling of the gallbladder. Mom was all yellow, very quickly she had a very high fever of 40 degrees. She was taken to surgery. Despite the fact that her condition was really very serious, the doctor immediately decided that she needed an operation. Those were the years when there was no good medical equipment yet, it was difficult to diagnose what it was, but after surgery it turned out that my mother's gallbladder ruptured with the first attack. It was very serious, my mother did not walk, but she remembered one moment when something or someone shook her, grabbed her and shook her. It was a breakthrough in this disease. After six months of hospital treatment, very emaciated, she was discharged from the hospital. We were counting on the fact that my mother might die. At that time, the parish priest in Brzezie was Fr. Rudolf Adamczyk, who saw my father praying fervently in the church, approached him and told him: “Mr. Stawinoga, your wife is not going to die. We pray to Sister Dulcissima all the time. " The doctor wanted to send my mother to the hospital in Wrocław for diagnostic purposes, but my father did not agree and said "I'm taking my wife home" to which the doctor replied: "but there is no help, your wife is already leaving." Dad took Mum home and continued praying. After all this, my mother recovered quite quickly, and after five years my younger sister Maria was born. A year has passed and my mother felt completely well, she decided to go to the doctor who treated her at the hospital to thank him for everything. When the doctor saw her, he got to his feet and said: “Are you alive? It's a miracle". We know that our prayers have been answered. Sister Maria Dulcissima is the greatest treasure in our parish. Prayer continues In all our monasteries, we sincerely pray for the gift of beatification of the handmaid of God, Sr. M. Dulcissima Hoffmann. On the 18th day - each month - in the community in Brzezie, during the novena prayer, we read the intentions entrusted to us, which are sent by e-mail or by post. We invite all readers of generalato.com to pray together. Detailed intentions can be sent to the address [email protected], or: Sisters of Mary Immaculate, ul. Archbishop Gawliny 5, 47-400 Racibórz Brzezie. Poland. Sr Maria Małgorzata Cur