Sr. Flora Ridder shares the Final Commitment of Sr. Magdalena Orczykowska on Sunday 21st April 2024 in the parish of St. Anthony the Abbot, Mẹcina, Poland
On Friday afternoon the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa set off from Lublin to Mẹcina, the home village of Sr. Magdalena. There she prepared to make her perpetual vows on Sunday. The two entity leaders of Euro-America Sisters Marceline Nemeyitora and Maite Sanz de Pablo, Sr. Mamaalifar from Rome and Sr. Flora from Germany joined the sisters of Lublin for the celebration.
In the village we were heartily welcomed by the parents and the sister of Sr. Magdalena. The uncle had put his house, next to the parents’ house, at the disposition of the sisters who, sharing rooms, all found accommodation. The meals were shared in the parents’ house. They were times of sharing, getting to know one another and of much joy.
What a generosity we experienced!
Saturday, on the eve of the day, we went to the church to practise songs, taught a group of 18 children a simple dance of East Africa for the offertory and helped one of the parish sisters with the decoration. We went to the convent of the sisters of Saint Felix of Kantalicjo to greet them and found a richly set table with cakes, fruits and sweets awaiting us. We took time to introduce ourselves sharing about the Mission of each one of us and our congregations.
In the evening, we animated an hour of prayer in the parish church. The prayer centred on the gospel of the Samaritan woman (Jn 4), the desire for God, embedded in each person and the desire of Jesus for our response to God’s love which he has come to reveal to us. Sr. Magdalena Orczykowska and Sr. Victoria Gaa gave the testimony of their vocation. Sr. Magdalena shared how through the signs and events God was finding his way in her life. As a girl she dreamed to be married and to have many children. It was at the pilgrimage that seeing a sister she heard an inner voice:
“why not you?”
Then during the studies in Lublin she met the missionary group at KUL and the sisters. Slowly she discovered that she wants to respond to this invitation convinced that it is the best way for her to live God’s dream which became by then hers. She is happy to be a sister and to share the love of God with all people. Sr. Victoria shared how God has revealed himself in the international community and in her sickness. She has been very sick and she was sent to her country because nobody could find the cause of her suffering. It was there where she met one of our sisters who contacted a doctor who finally found the cause. Today she is on mission in Poland, grateful for the gift of life and the love of God.
Towards the end a decade of the rosary was prayed, each Hail Mary in another language. The prayer closed with a prayer of sending and the Swahili song: Nitakwenda Naye mwokozi.
On Sunday, before departing for church we witnessed a traditional ritual performed by parents before a wedding. We gathered in the sitting room, where Sr. Magdalena knelt on a prepared carpet. Her father took a cross, held it for her to kiss and blessed her. He was so moved that he cried. The mother blessed Magdalena by sprinkling her with blessed water. Then the two leaders of the sisters placed their hands on her and blessed her.
Then we all went to church for the Eucharistic celebration. At the beginning an explanation of the meaning of the ceremony and a short history of the congregation was read. All the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Africa present joined the festive entry procession. Sr. Magdalena was accompanied by her parents, followed by 15 priests (4 Missionaries of Africa and 11 diocesan priests from the surrounding parishes and friends). The parish priest was the main celebrant.
The Kyrie was sung in the Ma´di language of Northern Uganda. The people in church were able to join the easy tune. The readings were from the day, the Good Shepherd Sunday, day of prayer for vocations. Father Franciszek Szczurek, Missionary of Africa gave the homily. He explained the heart of the missionary consecrated life asking first why did Sr. Magdalena chose this way of living. To do good to other, to help those in need in the area of health, education, social work can be done by others, by the lay people and sometimes even better.
Then, why, what is so particular about the way she is taking?
It is the relation with Jesus, not any relation but an intimate relation with God. This relation only can make a difference, when God is working in her and through her in all she is undertaking and in the community life. For the sisters live in the international communities without choosing themselves.
Then Sr. Maite called Magdalena forward. The latter brought a candle which was blessed and lit at the Easter candle by the parish priest and then handed back to Sr. Magdalena. The candle was to remind her of her baptism and the priest called on her to imitate Christ and be a light to the world wherever she would be sent. He then asked her the questions of confession of faith which are asked at the baptism. Now followed the dialogue between the leader Sr. Maite and Sr. Magdalena. Sr. Maite asked her if she was ready to imitate Christ in his obedience, poverty and chastity, to choose him as the only love in her life and to give her life for the spreading of God´s Kingdom in Africa. Sr. Magdalena gave her personal response to these questions saying yes. She then prostrated herself in front of the altar, supported by her sisters on each side, to ask in the litany of the saints for their intercession. Then came the big moment when Sr. Magdalena, with her hand placed on the gospels, read the formula of her perpetual vows. After the signing of the papers with the formula, the parish priest blessed the ring which Sr. Maite placed on the finger of Sr. Magdalena as a sign of her perpetual gift of herself to Christ and his mission in the congregation of the MSOLA.
With joy and hugs she was embraced by her fellow sisters and her parents. Very telling, she set with her parents up to the pronouncement of vows, and now she came to sit with her fellow sisters.
The intercession was read in different languages, a sign of our internationality. For the offertory Sr. Magdalena carried a painting of the pelican, the episcopal motto which Cardinal Lavigerie, the founders of the congregation had chosen as a symbol of CARITAS. The pelican feeding it´s young with his own blood. A basket of fruits was brought up as a sign that we receive everything from God and to whom we want to give the fruit of all our efforts and aspirations and then the bread and wine which was to become the body and blood of Christ, his self-gift for the redemption of all peoples and for the life of the whole world. The offertory procession was led by the girls dressed in African cloth, dancing to a Swahili song which was drummed and sung by the Missionary sisters.
At the end of mass, Sr. Marceline, as leader, presented a loaf of bread and salt to Sr. Magdalena, who broke of a piece and ate it. It is a polish tradition to wish that in the chosen way may the person never lack of bread and of taste of life. For Magda the wishes were that she may become as a good bread for others and may give the taste of life to those to whom she was sent.
Saying a word of thanks Sr. Magdalena went to her parent to kiss their hands, a gest of great respect and gratitude.
She shared that before her first communion at the age of 9 the priest who accompany the children asked them to thank their parents with the kissing of their hands. Magda without many words expressed the love she had for her parents. People had tears in their eyes as well as the parents.
After the taking of photos the family, sisters and invited guests went to a nearby location to continue the joyful celebration with traditional Polish dishes. There was plenty and all beautifully presented. A traditionally dressed music band played and sang Polish songs and people danced! Those present also joined a Ugandan and a Burundian dance lead by the sisters.
What a day of joy! May it remain in the memory of the parents, family and friends and especially of Sr. Magdalena!
May she continue to be a joyful witness to the love of God wherever she is sent.
