A child of Mary Immaculate
On 8th December 1878, a young religious of the Monastery of Sambeek, Holland, exchanged this mortal life for the eternal homeland. She was the first in her convent to leave this land of exile. Sister Marie-Vincent of the Child Jesus was born in Sambeek. She entered the Monastery in 1877, at the age of twenty three, after living with her brother, a vicar in a parish of Limburg, who had kept her with him for three years to test her vocation. This long and sorrowful delay caused great grief to the young girl, and perhaps even altered her health profoundly. However, the fact remains that immediately after her vesting, the first symptoms appeared of an illness that soon degenerated into consumption. Sister Marie-Vincent was an innocent soul, endowed with everything that could form a perfect religious, and faithful in corresponding to the numerous graces that she received from God. She was very pious, pleasant, obedient and given to mortification. Even during her stay with her brother she was greatly exercised in this last virtue. She was a precious flower that God soon wished to place in the heavenly flower-gardens.
Sister Marie-Vincent languished and wasted away slowly. Some weeks before her death she asked her doctor if she was going to die soon. She very much wanted to die on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The doctor replied negatively, not believing that the end of the illness was so near. She, however, continued to be sure that she would leave for heaven on that day, and although nothing gave any hint of an end so near, she asked the infirmarian to bring the Sisters to her to say goodbye to her, after the second Vespers on the feast of 8th December. The Sisters found her cheerful and pleasant as always, but did not believe that she was to die so soon. However, at eight o’clock in the evening she went to join the Immaculate Virgin to finish her feast in her company. In the course of her illness, she had indicated to her mother her desire to give the Monastery a great statue of the Most Holy Virgin. Her desire was heard. The statue now stands in the choir and reminds the Sisters of the virtues and precious death of this child of Mary. When she left the earth she was only twenty-five. She took her vows on her deathbed, happy, as she said, that she could no longer be sent back into the world, which she had never loved.
Sister Marie-Vincent languished and wasted away slowly. Some weeks before her death she asked her doctor if she was going to die soon. She very much wanted to die on the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The doctor replied negatively, not believing that the end of the illness was so near. She, however, continued to be sure that she would leave for heaven on that day, and although nothing gave any hint of an end so near, she asked the infirmarian to bring the Sisters to her to say goodbye to her, after the second Vespers on the feast of 8th December. The Sisters found her cheerful and pleasant as always, but did not believe that she was to die so soon. However, at eight o’clock in the evening she went to join the Immaculate Virgin to finish her feast in her company. In the course of her illness, she had indicated to her mother her desire to give the Monastery a great statue of the Most Holy Virgin. Her desire was heard. The statue now stands in the choir and reminds the Sisters of the virtues and precious death of this child of Mary. When she left the earth she was only twenty-five. She took her vows on her deathbed, happy, as she said, that she could no longer be sent back into the world, which she had never loved.
This necrology is translated from Fleurs de l'Institut des Rédemptoristines by Mr John R. Bradbury. The copyright of this translation is the property of the Redemptoristine Nuns of Maitland, Australia. The integral version of the translated book will be posted here as the necrologies appear.
