Jun 6, 2021 | FORUM, NEWS
My name is Magdalena and I am 35 years old.
The Sisters of Mary Immaculate have always accompanied me in my life.
Already in kindergarten, the sisters taught me catechesis. While in primary school, Sr. Małgorzata ran a small community called “Children of Mary” to which I belonged. I remember wearing such blue capes back then. There were about 25 children of us We actively participated in Holy Masses – during Lent we led the Way of the Cross for children during the Rosary period, in October we led the rosary, and during Advent we went to the rorat.
Those were beautiful times.
Later, as a teenager, for several years I went on a retreat for girls in Bard Śląski or Wrocław, which were organized by the Sisters (I have contact with some of them who participated or led them). I remember the time of the retreat very well. It was an amazing time, a time of meeting new people, a time of integration with the Sisters and other girls, a time of getting to know the life of the Sisters. Daily Holy Masses, adoration, were extraordinary for me, I could come closer and get to know the love of the Lord Jesus, adore the Blessed Sacrament, be filled with God’s presence.
As a teenager, I was also a volunteer in the Nursing and Treatment Institution for children with mental and physical disabilities run by the Sisters. During the children’s visits, I also had the opportunity to go to the chapel to pray, sometimes I prayed the rosary and the breviary with the Sisters.
I was very eager to come to spend time with these children, play, cuddle them, make their time more pleasant, give them some love that they lacked, because they often did not have parents who would visit them.
This period was beautiful and at the same time difficult, because many of these children were seriously ill, but each was beautiful, because she was a child of God.
It was from there, from this voluntary service with the Sisters, that my vocation to work with sick people came to me. Currently, I have been working as a medical tutor for 13 years. Although sometimes my work is difficult, it gives me a lot of satisfaction because I can help another person in need, take care of him, smile, talk, do all the caring activities that they themselves are often unable to do on their own.
We do not really appreciate what we have until we ourselves are in the shoes of sick people, after accidents or strokes….
My motto in life is: “Treat another person as yourself would like to be treated “, so I try to take care of the people entrusted to me in the way I would like to be treated myself if I felt ill and needed constant care.
I am very happy that in my life I had the opportunity to meet the Sisters of Mary Immaculate. In the past, I even thought of becoming a nun, but I found out that my calling is to live in marriage life.
In retrospect, I can see that everything that I “sat up with” as a girl, later as a teenager by participating in the retreat organized by the Sisters, participating in volunteering, emanated on my further life.
The sisters taught me a lot, especially patience and empathy towards others.
Many people ask me this question: “Magda, where do you get your optimism from, you are always so smiling”. In fact, I get a lot from my faith and the work I do. I am a believer and it will never change!! I am happy with each new day given to me.
THE LORD’S LOVE IS GREAT! and more than once have experienced His presence in my life. Sometimes we complain that something went wrong … that we don’t have something. And do we wonder, Is it that important? Do material good count so much? Do positions, education constitute my value?
When Jesus took the cross on his shoulders – no one asked if he wanted to take it. He took the cross and then died for our sins. He did not complain that it was hard for him.
LET’S REMEMBER that everything that seems impossible to man with God everything is possible.
MAGDA
Jun 1, 2021 | NEWS
When the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord is approaching, many memories associated with the Blessed Sacrament come to my mind. There are so many documents, books, sermons and conferences on the Eucharist … I don’t remember where I came across this term: Sacrament of consecrated life. The author argued that since two states in the Church – priesthood and marriage – have their own sacrament, the Eucharist is the sacrament proper to consecrated persons, because in it they unite with their Bridegroom.
Most often, we have the opportunity to attend Holy Mass every day in our religious convents or parish churches. The time when, due to illness or other circumstances, I cannot participate in it is an unpleasant experience for me, a reminder of my own poverty and human limitations. Many believers have had similar experiences, especially today in an ongoing pandemic. Participation in the Holy Sacrifice is a daily source of grace and light coming through the Word of God or the texts of mass prayers, invitations or songs. Likewise, the bread and wine which Christ chose to become his body and blood,
in the simplicity of their matter, they remind us of God’s love for what is small, humble and fragile. The gesture of breaking the Bread before the rite of Communion reminds me of God’s humility and submission to man. And when the Lord Jesus comes in Holy Communion, He allows me to experience His transforming closeness and trust in me as a weak person. I am in communion with Him and with the Church, my community. Having contact with many people with different views, faith or lifestyle, when I come to church for the Eucharist, I feel more that I am at home. My Lord’s house is my home. Being at Holy Mass, I do not act individually, but in a community. The gestures, spoken words, and body postures lead to the transition from “I” to “we”. I discovered the unifying value of the Eucharist by spending many years in a small community when we could experience it together on Sundays, and as a community feast and distinction when the Holy Mass was celebrated in our community chapel.
Caring for a chapel with the Blessed Sacrament in each of our houses is an expression of the wisdom of the Church and Congregation. We really live under one roof with our Lord. His silent presence accompanies our daily affairs. When I remain in silent adoration in His presence, I am amazed by His love expressed in the sign of the Eucharistic Bread. I am to be His monstrance when I go to the sisters, to the apostolate in catechesis, always … and although I do not experience spiritual raptures, being in His presence is my peace, my strength. Daily communal adoration, which is on the agenda and faithfully practiced both in my old small community and nowadays, is of great value to me. By remaining with my sisters communally before the Lord, we strengthen each other with the testimony of faith and love.
Another form of Eucharistic worship is characteristic for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi – processions with the Blessed Sacrament. Since I was a child, I was aware that I was participating in the Eucharistic processions along the streets of my city in a particular form of manifestation of faith. I had a sense of distinction walking as if in the retinue of the Lamb, as St. John the Apostle: “They are those who accompany the Lamb wherever he goes; these men were redeemed as first fruits to God and the Lamb, and no lie was found in their mouth: they are blameless” (Rev 14: 4-5). And in another place: “And I did not see a temple in it: for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. And the city does not need sun or moon to illuminate it, for the glory of God has illuminated them, and the Lamb with his lamp. And the nations will walk in his light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour to him ” (Rev21: 22-24). The image of Christ the Lamb illuminating the city and the nations suited the crowds of processions stopping at the four altars and Jesus blessing us in the Blessed Sacrament.
The First Holy Communion celebrations usually fall on the time around Corpus Christi, and later their subsequent anniversaries. Finishing my reflections on such a day I will share one more memory. On the day of my First Communion after the celebration in the church in the family circle I was asked by someone from the guests who I would like to become when I grow up. Without thinking, I replied that I was to become a nun. There was consternation among those present because nothing foreshadowed it, nor did anyone expect such an answer. Time passed, and to this day I do not know where this answer came from, although … today I can repeat from St. Paul: “by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace was not in vain; on the contrary, I worked (…), not I, admittedly, but God’s grace with me” (1 Cor 15:10).
Sr. Michaela Musiał
May 17, 2021 | FORUM, NEWS
I am a Catholic newspaper journalist. I had a professional contact with the Servant of God, Sr. Dulcissima Hoffmann – one day I was just asked in the editorial office to write a text about this devout nun from Silesia. The editors responded to the request of Sr. Margret from the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, who promotes the person of Sr. Dulcissima. I was also one of those people who had not heard about the Servant of God before. I didn’t even want to take up this topic too much, because I thought that a friend who was considered to be a specialist in promoting pious nuns would better elaborate it, which I don’t really “feel”. In the end, I got the topic and I started working on the text.
After the first look at the dulcissima.pl website, I felt a great sympathy for the nice Helena Hoffmann, who was looking at me with sharp and piercing eyes from numerous photos posted on the Internet. I was captivated by the maturity of this young girl in accepting a serious disease, and I was touched by the local cult of her person and the common belief in her holiness in Brzezie. I also saw numerous testimonies of graces and healings through her intercession.
At that time, in our family, we had a nervous period of waiting for the surgery to be scheduled for the damaged ulnar nerve of our eldest daughter, Mary. When I saw the intent box on the dulcissima.pl website, I immediately put a prayer request there for a quick appointment of the operation date and its successful course. A thought crossed my mind that maybe something deeper was that I was the one who received this topic in the editorial office … Brzezie included their daughter in their novena through the intercession of Sr. Dulcissima. On the second day after the afternoon, information about the scheduled surgery was delivered from the hospital. I informed Sr. Margaret about it immediately, because I had no doubts that Sr. Dulcissima had her part in it. We and the Sisters continued to pray through the intercession of Sr. Dulcissima for Mary’s health. I printed a large photo of Sr. Dulcissima from the time she was a postulant, I put it on the table so that the Sister would accompany us at that time as well. I personally clung to Sister Dulcissima hard and intrusively, because the thought came back to me that it was a gift from heaven, that I received a request for an article about her at this very moment…..
Four days after the surgery was scheduled for us, Sr. Margaret sent me photos of Sr. Dulcissima to be used in the newspaper, and referring to Mary’s health in the e-mail, she wrote: “A thought has appeared in me several times> I would not be surprised if Mary did not need an operation. May God lead and Dulcissima … ask for whatever is necessary … ”. I did not pay much attention to these words, except that I thought that Sister Margaret’s faith was great … I continued praying the novena with zeal and faith, but the intention was only good fruits of the operation …
Then the events happened very quickly. I received an e-mail from Sr. Margaret with the remark that the operation may not be needed on Monday, on Tuesday we were with my daughter at a new physiotherapist, who at one point asked her to show what exercises she had previously performed on her hand, because due to nerve damage she was not able to bring, lead away and straighten IV and V fingers. Imagine my surprise when Mary freely spread all the fingers of her hand, which were almost completely straight. In addition, I was touched by the fact that the physiotherapist at that moment remarked: “It’s not so bad with your hand, Someone is watching over you, because after such accidents it is often worse”. Before the operation, I looked at my daughter’s hand almost every day, I asked her to show me how to straighten and withdraw my fingers, because I was afraid of a deterioration before the operation. Mary was unable to make such easy movements.
After leaving the physiotherapist, I examined my daughter’s hand and confirmed that there was a clear improvement, which would also indicate an improvement in the condition of the nerve itself. But considering that both my daughter and I had already seen things – sometimes we saw some progress and then research didn’t confirm it, I approached the whole event with caution. I decided to wait another day or two and then repeat the nerve examination with the neurologist. Mary herself was not convinced whether to repeat this test, because as she said – probably nothing has changed, and I am not supposed to talk about the fact that perhaps an operation will not be needed, because the operation will certainly be.
On Thursday, we registered for another EMG examination by a neurologist. I entered the office with the proverbial “soul on my shoulder” because I was afraid of the disappointment associated with an unfavorable diagnosis. However, to our great luck, the examination showed a significant improvement in the condition of the damaged nerve, so large and quick enough (only a month has passed since the previous examination, which was an indication for surgery), that the doctor immediately said that he advised against surgery, because the nerve had started successfully regenerate. Also, the consultation with the neurosurgeon who was supposed to operate on the daughter confirmed that in this situation the operation is absolutely inadvisable, and the nerve should be given time for further regeneration.
Actually, all the time we do not fully understand not so much the improvement of the damaged nerve, but the circumstances in which it happened. We have already visited the grave of Sr. Dulcissima with the whole family to thank for the favors received and we also share with others a little “our” beloved Sr. Dulcissima. She herself came to us, ignited our hearts with great sympathy for herself and the faith that she could help us and in a few days changed our lives by 180 degrees. Thank you Sr. Dulcissima!
Beata with her family
May 12, 2021 | NEWS
It allows me to see God’s providence at work in how I found myself in Pompeii.
Soon it will be 6 years since, thanks to the trust of the Mother General and the Provincial Sister of the time, I was able to undertake this nursing mission here in the world-famous Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary. Providence, thanks to Sr. Immakulata and the sisters from Jaszkotle and my friends from the ZOL where I worked, a few years earlier I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Over a year of hard work allowed me to apply for service in this sunny Italy, where a place awaited me at the dispensary of Our Lady of the Rosary.
To be here, however, the only thing that was missing was the administrative approval of the ministry in Italian. I did not know the Italian language. So I started my first steps in the center of the cradle of Christianity – in Rome with my mission of learning the language. Great emotions, but also fears – will I be able to learn the language, culture, and especially medical nomenclature within a few months. Permanent formation and mutual support as a sister allowed me to find myself in the international community, as well as to realize the meaning of the words of Creed: I believe in the One, Holy and Apostolic Church for which the martyrs shed their blood in the Colosseum arena.
Finding Sisterhood Unity in our small Polish-German-African community began with common prayer, Holy Mass, recreation, work and celebration of common meals. Our mutual trust made the gifts of the Holy Spirit bear fruit. Then I started learning the language in a “larger” international community at a language school. Also, going to Corsica and working with my sisters there helped me “polish” my acquired Italian language skills.
After 6 months of experience, the time has finally come to start the next and final stage of religious life, and to start nursing in Pompeii.
I started my work in the hospital with a 3-month volunteer work so that I could get to know everything. Unfortunately, after my arrival, it turned out that my language learning is obviously not enough and people speak fast and they have their own dialect. In fact, I started to learn from scratch, being among people, learning new professional vocabulary, often in the Neapolitan dialect. Fortunately, everyone was very nice and open, and responded to mine with great kindness linguistic mishaps or complete lack of words and incomprehension. I spent every free moment after volunteering learning all these professional names of equipment and tools, because I was waiting for an exam at the Nursing Chambers. I received great support from Sr. Goretti, who at that time was in surgery ward. She patiently tried to show me everything, explain what I am very grateful for. I remember the day of the ward exam, I was afraid, but I entrusted it to God through Mary. As the sisters could not come with me, Rosaria and Mario (friends from the hospital) accompanied me. Thanks to God’s help, I was able to pass it positively and from December I started working full-time.
People welcomed me very warmly. Their openness, willingness to help and cooperation built me up and uplifted me in the moments of total misunderstanding of the mentality and needs of the local type of patients. Despite all the cultural, linguistic and characterological differences, we all join in prayer for our families (sorrows and joys are intertwined everywhere) for our religious family.
Every day we experience kindness from the owners of the dispensary, openness from employees and patients, thanks to whom we bravely stay in the designated section of work – Sr. Goretti currently as a gynecology and obstetrics department, and I work in all departments depending on the needs: surgery, gynecology , nephrology, ophthalmology, endoscopy, geriatrics.
We start our day at 6:00 with common prayer in the hospital chapel: breviary, meditation and Holy Mass at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary. We start working at 8:00 am because I often have afternoon shifts. We also end the day with a common prayer at 8 pm. On Sunday we usually have a day off from work, which we can spend in permanent formation under the mantle of Our Lady and taking advantage of the spiritual care of the Franciscan Fathers.
I think that the most effective form of proclaiming the Good News is by giving witness with your own life. We can show the “practical” dimension of faith, which manifests itself mainly in serving the sick.
Despite the many difficulties related to the language barrier, cultural differences and mentality, I found myself in the reality of this country.
My mission is to meet a specific person, with his illness, with his life history, with everything that hurts him and what is important to him.
My mission is to stay close to man, it is an attempt to bestow on him a selfless love, the love of God.
I am very lucky that I can work and do what I really love, that I can be in a place where Mary is present in a special way and entrust myself to her and the people with whom I have come to work and serve.
S.M. Magdalena Delczyk
May 5, 2021 | NEWS
Once the children told me that this was their second home … “Seed” HOME … I remember my emotions and tears that day. The day before, I prayed to God that I would still not be able to do it … And perhaps I would not have given it, if it had not been for what I heard, and I read it as meeting the Lord himself in these children.
A grain is time… time given and received. Space just a few hours a day after school. But a space different than any other. Unique, but very, very simple. Doing homework together, praying together, afternoon tea, activities and fun… a lot of fun. And a lot of fun. Sometimes worries, but more joys – basically more joys.
“Ziarenko” is a building … Once, in the convent of the Sisters, or actually in its basement, we started our work with children … and today the activity is located in the community building, in rooms that we lend. And again it’s something special, even though it’s just walls …
I will tell a short story related to this building.
Ziarenko was founded by Maksymilian’s sister, who was then in the facility in Branice. Once I visited her while visiting my parents (I come from Branice). I saw the gleam in her eyes. I knew it meant an idea. It turned out to be not only an ordinary human idea, but God’s inspiration. She suggested that I go for a walk with her. To my surprise, for this walk she took a rather large statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. “I’ll tell you on the way,” she said. It was about the old, ruined building of my nursery, where my parents accompanied me as a child. Maksymilian Kolbe put the statue of Mary Immaculate in the open field and said: “Here will be Niepokalanów” and there is … And Maksymilian put the statue of Mary Immaculate in the old, damaged, roofless building and said: “Here will be a seed”. What…? No kidding … I thought to myself.
And no kidding, in a few years the Community of Branice undertakes to completely renovate this old building and allocate some of the rooms to the activities of the Center for children called “Ziarenko”. To this day … I do not understand it humanly … It is also the reason for such a personal meeting with the Immaculate. I am sure today that whenever in my life, or in whatever I do, I will see some ruins … without a roof … then I have to invite Mary to this place … She will perform a miracle of transformation and there will be heaven on earth …
The building, but how important, although it is only walls, but donated by Mary herself. Walls that hold a lot.
Children in “Ziarenek” can pursue interesting and new passions and interests – from sports to artistic. They play football, table tennis, billiards, table football, air hockey, shoot a bow, climb the climbing wall, use the gym. They have a recreation room with a dry pool and wetsuits. There is also a World Experience Room with a waterbed. Computer and study room. In summer, we spend time outside, where we have a lot of activities and challenges for children. There is a go-kart track, tennis court, climbing boulder, playground, gym and many, many other games and adventures that children will invent and create on their own.
In the near future, an oratory will be created, where children will be able to enter for a while and leave their prayers and thanksgiving to God.
“Ziarenko” is an institution … but Marian, first of all … But also weary in law and set on the foundations of the Immaculata Association, which has its soul mate in Opole in the form of our second institution “Cegiełka”
“Ziarenko” are children … Children and they are the most important here … Children attending the Primary School in Branice and older ones, who are already our volunteers … The most important because Jesus said “let the children come to me, the kingdom of heaven belongs to them …” and our grain.
Most importantly, and I am writing about them at the end, but also according to the Gospel principle that “the last will be the first”. Ziarenko are children who find here HOME, TIME, BUILDING, INSTITUTIONS … LOVE, the enormity of love of people who are in the background of the work of this institution. Agnes, devoted with her heart and loving children, mother, wife and trusted friend … Our commune authorities headed by the commune administrator, who … who is wholeheartedly behind us and cheers us on, often fulfilling our strangest requests :). The parish priest of the WNMP Parish in Branice and his parishioners and many, many other people with huge, good and open hearts who support us materially and spiritually.
And I must also mention my Sisters from the Branicka community. Their patience with myself, often a helping hand in good, small things, sometimes make the burden of work that accompanies it becomes smaller, because the community carries and lifts.
So, what is the “Ziarenko” Day Support Center in Branice … all and all that he did not write about and what is in the hearts of the children who attend it.
Sr. Daniela Gumienna
May 3, 2021 | NEWS
I used to wonder what my favorite term for the Immaculate is. She is greeted with so many titles that probably each of her devotees is particularly close to one of them.
Personally, I rarely call her by name. Mother of God is definitely closer to me, and in a very personal prayer simply Mummy … Everything comes from her Divine Motherhood, all the veneration that is surrounded by Jesus’ disciples.
When we invoke the intercession of Our Lady in the Litany of Loreto, we also call her the Mother of the Church. This is the second title that I often address to her also when it falls me to lead community prayers. And although this title of Mary was solemnly announced only by St. Paul VI on November 21, 1964, its value and pronunciation are present throughout the history of the Church from its beginnings.
Today, in the age of pandemics, unrest in many parts of the world, great social differences, prevailing ideologies and other things far from the Gospel, there are many seers, prophets and apostles of the apocalypse. The thought that we are living in the end times gives rise to all sorts of pious practices that are good in themselves and belong to the wealth of the Church. However, their excessive multiplication seems to betray a certain spiritual anxiety, nervousness, distrust, or a tendency to panic. The fullness of time has come with the coming of the Savior into the world (see Gal 4: 4). The end times full of expectation, longing, trials, and hope are inscribed in the time of the Church (see CCC 672-677). Already from the Ascension, the Lord’s coming is close, and while awaiting this event, the Church is accompanied by Her Mother. You have to listen to your mother. This statement seems so obvious, but it is not always as we think it is.
In private revelations recognized as true and approved by the Church, she says the same as in Scripture through her attitude, presence with Jesus and the young Church. It says the same as in the few words written by the Evangelists. For me, the most specific clue is the command given at the wedding to the servants of Cana in Galilee, whom he sends back to Jesus saying: “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2: 5).
The title of Mary, Mother of the Church reminds me of a beautiful medieval Madonna with a Protective Mantle, the original of which is in the Church of St. Nicholas in Markdorf. I have never been there, but I got a picture with her image from a late Franciscan who, years ago, accompanied me in the discernment of my vocation. Today, when we live in times when everything is or must be special, I think that such simplicity and ordinariness are needed in protecting oneself under her maternal protection, with which, under the mantle of Mary, the figures representing the medieval inhabitants of the town are protected. We need simplicity and ordinariness in the spiritual life, prayer and work, in interpersonal relationships within and outside communities.
Then we are most like the Mother when, following Her commands, we live as she lived – in the presence of Jesus. Then we are like her when we let the Spirit of God guide us and permeate us as he fills and guides her. So it is not only about addressing Mary in a solemn, pietistic way in solemn moments, or about undertaking various works or apostolic actions as her Sisters. Rather, it is about daily faithfulness to the simple way of living, following her example, which is also manifested in the forms of piety, the way of being, speaking, behaving …
Finishing my reflections on Mary, our Mother – Mother of the Church, one more thought comes to my mind. The aforementioned time of vocational discernment ended with the decision to enter to the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, although I knew a few other religious congregations, and some of them contributed greatly to my religious development through catechesis, running a group of the Children of Mary, a choir, parish camps and retreats for girls. It is difficult to say why the Lord Jesus brought me here. But I can say with certainty that what distinguished the Sisters of Mary was the simplicity, the family atmosphere that can be felt in the religious house and the ordinariness of the Sisters with whom I had contact then.
Sr. M. Michaela Musiał
