MARY…
RABBONI ¡
Sisters deceased in 2008
SOCIETY OF MARIE REPARATRICE / MARY REPARATRIX
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EDITION
Hna. Mª Josefa Vilallonga
TRANSLATORS
From the original Spanish to French:Soeur Thérèse Lorda
From the original Spanish to English:Sister Barbara Carroll
From the original French to Spanish:Hna. Mª Josefa Vilallonga
From the original French to English:Sister Eva O'Brien
From the original English (via French) to Spanish:Hna. Mª Jesús Platero
From the original English to French:Soeur Sylvie Denis
INDEX
Cover: Mary… Rabboni¡
First Page: Sisters deceased in 2008…………………………………………………… 1
Responsible for the edition……………………………………………………………… 2
Index………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Presentation……………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Deceased in 2007
Sister Laura Rutkowski...... ……………………………………………………………… 5
Sister Cesarína Mendoza Lasalle……………………………………………………….. 6 Sister José Lange…………………………………………………………………………. 7
Deceased in 2008
Sister Suzanne Lafleur……………………………………………………………………… 8Sister Margaret Farell………………………………………………………………………. 9
Sister Isidra Sanagustín Echeverría……………………………………………………… 10 Sister Mary Wilson…………………………………………………………………………. 11 Sister M. Pilar Puig Vendrell………………………………………………………………. 12
Sister M. Louise Poswick………………………………………………………………….. 13
Sister Jeanne Hubert………………………………………………………………………. 14 Sister Arecia del Río Molinuevo………………………………………………………….. 15 Sister Paula Resto…………………………………………………………………………. 16Sister Esther Acedo Martínez…………………………………………………………... . 17 Sister Jacqueline Baguenier Desorneaux…………………………………………….... 18
Sister Ana María Razquin Jene………………………………………………………….. 20
Sister Marcelline Razanaketsa…………………………………………………………… 21
Sister Margaretha Duives…………………………………………………………………. 23Sister Thérèse Konfortion...... 24
Sister Ramona Rex Moreno...... 25
Sister Cécile Frenette...... 26
Sister Ignacia Echaniz Echezarreta...... 27
Sister Catalina Corbella y Gili...... 28
Sister Margaret Gaffney...... 29
Annex………………...... 31
PRESENTATION
In the Gospel of St John (20, 11-19) we read the beautiful account of the appearance of the Risen Lord to Mary Magdalene. At first she does not recognise Jesus. She thinks he is the gardener. It is only when she hears him pronounce her name MARY, in that tone so familiar to her, that she answers Rabboni – Master, full of emotion.
The Risen Lord cannot be experienced as before: he has a new way of being, and reveals himself to whoever he wishes, when and as he wishes. And so it is that those to whom he grants this knowledge of him are filled with joy, and their lives are changed for ever.
Mary Magdalene receives a mission, she cannot remain there, she cannot hold on to him whom she has just met as the risen one. She must go and announce the good news to everyone.
Certainly, for many of us when we read this passage, we remember the first time we heard Jesus call us; impossible to describe but also impossible to forget the moment.
And leaving everything, helped by our faith, we followed Jesus, going wherever he was calling us and to be messengers of his Kingdom. Faith and vocation are always personal, both in the call and in the response.
The disciples and the women to whom the Risen Lord appeared did not recognise him at first. Only in a later moment, in pronouncing their name, on showing them his wounds, in sharing bread…..only then did they recognise him and believe in him. We too cannot see him or recognise him with our bodily eyes. Only when he speaks to us and makes our heart burn within us are we able to believe in him and welcome him present in our brothers and sisters.
These our sisters have ended their earthly pilgrimage and those we remember have no doubt also heard the Lord call their name one day, calling them to religious life. They let themselves be convinced of this life-giving call and followed him. Helped by their faith they were able to remain faithful their whole life long, in spite of the difficulties and upsets along the way – a long one for some (more than 100years) and shorter for others, but always happy in their vocation up to the moment when God called them to himself.
Now we have them as intercessors. Through an ever more ardent living out of our faith may we know how to hear and recognise the voice of the Lord who continues to call us, and to discover him in the “calls” he makes to us through the circumstances and events of life, especially through each of our brothers and sisters we meet on our way. Thus a day will come when we shall be able to hear these words: “because you have been faithful in little things, enter into the joy of your Lord”.
“Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus”!
Maria Josefa Vilallonga
Sister LAURA RUTKOWSKI
M. of Blessed Richard Leigh
Died in Latham, New York
(United States of America)
27 th August 2007
aged 90.
Born: 1st February 1917
Entered:1 st May 1942
First Vows: 22 th November 1944
Last Vows: 22 th November 1949
Laura was born in Pennsylvania and was the third of eight children born to John and Michaeline. Laura’s parents were born in Poland and the faith and industry of these people was evident in their family.
It was her sister, Jane, who introduced Laura to the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix in Detroit. Laura entered the novitiate in Detroit in 1942 and lived/ministered in twelve different SMR settings during her sixty-five years in the congregation. In our retreat houses she served in various capacities such as commission sister or working in the altar breads, infirmary or kitchen.
With the changes of Vatican II Laura was an enthusiastic participant. She loved going to all the study days of renewal for religious in the Archdiocese of Detroit, always being interested and open to the new insights and reflections.
She loved to serve as a Eucharistic Minister at liturgy or bringing the Eucharist to the homebound. Laura was a very prayerful woman and had great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. For her presence and participation in the liturgy was very important. She also relished the Word of God in Scripture and throughout the years she led or participated in many bible study or faith sharing groups. Laura loved to read and she loved to sing and was blessed with a beautiful singing voice.
Another change that came several years after Vatican II was that Laura found herself in a small community. While earlier in her life she had worked in the kitchen, she never learned to cook. Learning to cook in her small community was something she really enjoyed. During that same period she was invited by the pastor to give the homily during the daily liturgy. She was happy to accept and did a wonderful job.
Sisters who lived with Laura have described her as devoted, generous, always pleasant, always willing to help and always grateful. As far back as the 1980s sisters who lived with Laura realized that she experienced memory loss. Unfortunately this progressed and by 1997 she went for a few months to be cared for in the Provincial House of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in Latham, New York.
Later that same year when our house in Riverview was completed Laura was brought from Latham with our Sister Brigid Riordan to be cared for in this new setting. Laura remained in Riverview for five years and then unfortunately her dementia made it too difficult to care for her in this setting. She returned to the Provincial House of the Sisters of St. Joseph and it was there that she lived the last four years of her life. She died peacefully on August 27.
Last Christmas even though she was very confused, the sisters at Latham were so moved by her singing of «O Holy Night» the Christmas Liturgical Celebration.
Laura’s body was brought from Latham, New York to Michigan. She was waked in our Riverview chapel and then taken to the parish church of her family for the funeral. She was buried with our sisters in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
Sister CESARINA MENDOZA LASALLE
M. de la Virgen Milagrosa
Deceased in Alcorcon (Madrid)
(Spain /Italy)
October 3rd 2007
Aged 91.
Born: November 14th 1914
Entered: June 15th 1944
First Vows: January 6th 1947
Last Vows: October 25th 1952
Our dear sister had received an «emerald for learning» with the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Rosary, for three of her sisters who had lived in France nearly all their lives entered this Congregation. She herself felt called to Marie Reparatrice in response to her vocation. Cesarina had her licentiate in Law; she came from a large family of nine children.
For many years she was in charge of the student residence in Barcelona, much loved by the girls, to whom she knew how to relate and to advise, to the extent that one group remained in touch with her until her death. She was also responsible for the retreat house.
On account of her education and the fact that she was born into a liberal-minded though religious family, she was of a critical mind and always had interesting conversation. She had a strong, sincere and upright temperament. If she experienced some difficulty with her neighbour she would say so sincerely and made an effort to avoid friction. Her character was not always easy to live with, and she suffered on account of this, feeling that she was not understood and sometimes hurt others.
She was sacristan in San Sebastian during the 60s when many Masses were celebrated there daily. In spite of the work involved several of the young professed sisters who passed some time in the community remember her cordiality and her interest in the renewal of theology and the study of scripture. She liked to read and to search for the reason behind the new situations and ideas in the world and the church.
When she was in Torija she was told about the new location of the infirmary, and she had a real interior struggle, believing that the moment she had so dreaded had arrived, when she would have to leave a house of the Congregation. After struggling with this for some days light and grace came to her, and she gave her unconditional yes. She spent several days in the care home, then after her diamond jubilee which had just recently been celebrated, she remained so content and grateful for the way it was celebrated in such a family spirit that she overcame her difficulties and thereafter was very content in her new surroundings.
She remained so content and grateful in the care home that when her nieces and nephews came to visit her she showed them her room, saying with great satisfaction: «I have the best room in the home» even though all the rooms were the same.
Until the end of her life she was interested in everything, looking for the why and wherefore of things. She liked to read some book on theology so as to understand the present day church better, and during her last two years she became «reconciled» and to love Pope Benedict, reading his books, although up till then his theological thought had not been to her liking. This led her to a sincere love for the church and the pope. She would read his books and letters, declaring that she like them.
She tried to dialogue with her superiors and confront opinions. She was attracted to Ignatian Spirituality and the spirit of discernment, confronting her own ideas and recognising her difficulties. For that reason, although in the beginning it cost her to accept both in the church and in her superiors people who could be considered more conservative or less open to change, she would keep herself well-informed about the positive things she could read, have an opinion on or reflect about. For her it was enough that something should come from the church so that she might regard it in a positive way, appreciating and accepting it gratefully. She would listen to others and make known her own thoughts with clarity and sometimes quite forcefully, and she liked dialogue on a personal level. It had been a struggle for her to accept peacefully what she did not like in her final years.
She was realistic in her last years, knowing what she was able to give and when to withdraw, as we saw when in 2006 the elderly or infirm sisters were asked whether they wished to have their names left or not on the list for the provincial chapter. She wrote: «I suppose you will agree with me that my age and state of health do not allow me to collaborate directly in the work of a chapter, but I have used my mind and given my opinion with great expectation; today I wish only to offer the one thing I can, my prayer and my fidelity. May the Holy Spirit enlighten you all, and give us light too and acceptance! Do all you can! I give thanks to God who has preserved me lucid so far, at least I think that is so, and on that account I have sometimes spoken rather strongly…….» She was already 90 years of age, but her intelligence and her personal prayer enabled her to reveal with simplicity what she was thinking. She could be a bit contrary at times and had little patience with the nurses, which made them rather upset.
In the final stage she fell and broke her hip, which led to a total dependence which was very hard for her independent character. She edified us during her last days as she came little by little to surrender herself with an amazing docility, preparing for the definitive meeting with the Lord in peace and joy.
Her family, especially some young married couples who esteemed her highly, were by her side during these last days.
Truly the Lord has accomplished his work in her.
Sister JOSE LANGE
M. van de Sierre del Zee
Deceased in Boxmeer
(Belgium/Holland/Sweden) November 11th 2007
Aged 83
Born: September 19th 1924
Entered: August 14th 1945
First Vows: May 17th 1948
Last Vows: May 17th 1953
Sr. José was born very near to our house in Maastricht, and no doubt that had an influence on her life lived close to that chapel where the Blessed Sacrament was exposed. From her youth she belonged to the Association of «Marthas», an activity she very much enjoyed, and in which she discovered her vocation. When she was 20 years old she told her mother of her desire to enter the Congregation, but her comment was: you will not persevere.
When she entered the novitiate at the end of the war in 1945 there were many more novices than professed since religious had to leave the country.
Josephine enjoyed reading the writings of our foundress, and she adapted well to community life. She was very pleasant during recreation, and we spent many good times through her joyful disposition. She was cook in all the houses to which she was sent, and was very devoted. She was faithful to prayer, especially to Adoration, and she prepared the liturgy of each day with great care.
Little by little as the years passed her strength diminished, and it cost her a lot not to be able to look after herself in the same way; she had to accept being admitted to a centre for special needs. Her sister-in -law and her nieces surrounded her with affection during all this time.
She died in Santa Ana Clinic surrounded by her family and the sisters of the community.
Sister SUZANNE LAFLEUR
M. de Saint-Viateur
Deceased in Toulouse
(France)
28th January 2008
Aged 92.
Born: 25th May 1915
Entered: 2nd February 1934
First Vows 8th September 1936
Last Vows 8th September 1941
This morning of 28th January, Sr. Suzanne «changed her mourning into dancing» (Ps 29), having walked with dignity in the presence of her God for many long years in fidelity, service and love to the end of her strength. As a result of a blood clot on her lungs she was confined to bed for just a week. During her time in the infirmary one was always struck by her gratitude. She never missed an occasion to express her thanks for the good care she received from the nursing staff and for the delicacies and marks of affection from her companions.
She entered the congregation at the age of 18, joining her sister Simone who was already professed. When the time came for her to make her Third Year, she was sent to Detroit with some companions because of the war in Europe. Sr. Suzanne lived in the United States for some time and devoted herself without ever counting the cost.
On her return to her own country, always ready to be of service, she lived in different communities:Trois Rivières, Montréal, Saint-Laurent as sacristan, receptionist, or in charge of the retreats. She was appreciated everywhere and left many happy memories.One Retreat Director who had known her well when she was in charge of the house in Mont Royal, and who was preaching in a distant town at the time of her death, sent this message: «I will not be able to go to the funeral of Sr. Suzanne whom I dearly loved, but I am united with the prayers of your Sisters for the repose of her beautiful Reparatrice soul».
However, it was as directress of the nursery school that she showed her aptitudes for working with children of all nationalities, and all confessions, where her devotedness was manifested in an exceptional way with the little ones as well as with the young parents who trusted her completely. The sense of festivity which she possessed to a high degree (and which she used equally in the community as well as in the Works) was especially appreciated when there were feasts at the nursery school where everything contributed to bring the toddlers on to the stage to the joy and pride of the happy parents!