It was in 1882. The Monastery of Sambeek (Holland) was extending its enclosure. A chapel was being built, with a lower choir, a chapter room and a number of cells. Mother Marie-Clementine of the Most Holy Redeemer, the sister of Mons. Wulfingh, [1] was then fulfilling the office of Superior. It was under her government, in 1888, that two new wings to the building were erected, and the garden was extended by the purchase of a number of pieces of land. However, says the Chronicle of the convent, “a special Providence watched over the monastery, so that these purchases and extensions were done without the monastery being weighed down by debts. The Superior confided the task of housekeeper to our good and glorious Patriarch, Saint Joseph, and he acquitted himself marvellously, and in a truly surprising manner, especially on Wednesdays. One day, the idea came to the Superior to turn to a certain rich benefactor and ask him to lend her several thousand florins for an unlimited time, and without interest. The request seemed an extremely bold one. In spite of this, trusting in her heavenly housekeeper, the Superior sent the letter. The reply was that the addressee was not in the habit of lending money in this way and that he was in no way inclined to start doing so, but that he was giving the sum requested outright: six thousand florins. – Another day (it was a Wednesday), the Superior received some fish as a gift to the Monastery: “Ah! Saint Joseph,” she exclaimed, “I thank you with all my heart, but today money is what I need.” The day had not even finished before the necessary sum arrived. “This is how,” concludes the Chronicle, “the good God is always looking after us. We now have a very beautiful and holy chapel, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a spacious convent, and a great garden in which our deceased Sisters sleep their last sleep while awaiting their glorious resurrection.
Footnotes
[1] Mons. Wulfingh, Redemptorist, died in 1906. He was the Apostolic Vicar of Surinam (Dutch Guiana, West Indies)
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.
