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SISTER MARTA

WIECKA 1874-1904

Daughter of Charity on the

road to sainthood

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In August 1990 Daughters of Charity from Krakow, Poland came to the town of Sniatyn, Ukraine to search for the grave of a holy woman, revered by the local population as “Matushka.”

Rumors of a Saint

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They discovered

that “Matushka”

was a Daughter of

Charity named Sr. MARTA

WIECKA.

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In Sniatyn, people of all creeds -- Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Orthodox, and even non-believers

-- regarded Sr. Marta as their

Mother (Matushka) and Sister (Monashka)

who would listen to their prayers and obtain for them graces and favors.

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Who was Sr. Marta Wiecka?

Marta Anna Wiecka

was born 12 January 1874 in the

town of Nowy Wiec.

It is now part of Poland, but

then it was part of

Prussia.

Marta’s home in Nowy Wiec

Marta was the third of 13 children born

to a wealthy land owner Marcelino

Wiecki and his wife, Paulina

(Kamrovska) Wiecka.

There were six daughters

and seven sons, three of whom died in infancy and five others died at a young

age.

Nowy Wiec: the village of the Wiecka

family

Who was Sr. Marta Wiecka?

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Her foundation in faithSix days after birth Marta

was baptized in the church in the town of

Szczodrowo.

The strong Catholic faith of her family nurtured in her a deep love of God and desire

to serve Him.

The church in Szczodrowo

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Vocation

At the age of 16 Marta tried to enter the Daughters of Charity in the town of Chelmno, but was told that she was

too young.

Provincial House in Chelmno 8

At the age of 18 Marta

tried again to join the

Daughters of Charity in

Chelmno, this time with her

friend Monika

Gdaniec.

Because the occupying government of Prussia restricted the number of aspirants the religious community in Chelmno could accept,

Marta and her friend approached the Daughters of Charity in Krakow. And they were accepted!

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Formation

26 March 1892 – Postulatum 12 August 1892 – Seminary 21 April 1893 – Sent on Mission

Daughters of Charity Provincial House, Krakow

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21 April 1893: Sr. Marta was sent on her

first mission to a hospital in Lvov.

Once there she quickly gained the reputation as a

Sister who loved her patients and serve them

with great devotion.

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A year and a half later on 15 November 1894, she was missioned again to a hospital in Podhajce.

Here for the next five years she tirelessly served the sick as a good nurse and a faithful Daughter of Charity.

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In 1902 Sr. Marta was sent

to serve at a hospital in the

town of Bochnia.

Shortly after she arrived, a patient at the

hospital became jealous

of the care she gave to a young

man with tuberculosis.

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  The parish priest heard the rumors and demanded that superiors remove Sr. Marta!

This patient spread the rumor that Sr. Marta was having an AFFAIR with the young man --

and that she was PREGNANT!

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But her Sister Servant Sr. Maria Chablo insisted that Sr. Marta “is an innocent soul completely given to God. I can be as sure of her as I am of myself!”

Sr. Marta stayed on in Bochnia for two

more years and was

completely vindicated.

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In 1902 Sr. Marta was missioned to the hospital in the town of Sniatyn.

Here her sanctity would shine for all to see. 16

 

The two short years that Sr. Marta served in Sniatyn, people of all creeds – and no creed at all – came to admire and love her.

Why? – because of her extraordinary LOVE, her PRAYER,

and her SERVICE.

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Sr. Marta took the place of a family man whose job it was to clean the typhus ward.

She contracted typhus.

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On 30 May

1904, at the

age of 30, Sr.

Marta

died.

In her illness she was surrounded by her

Sisters and her brother Fr. Jan.

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Since 1904, through two world wars and Soviet occupation, …

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…the people of Sniatyn and surrounding areas

have come with their needs and prayers …

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…to the

grave of

their

“Matushka,”

Sr. MARTA

WIECKA.

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They know what

the Catholic

Church is just

beginning to

determine …

Sr. Marta

Wiecka

is a

SAINT!

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Lvov Cathedral, 26 June 1997: the process for canonization begins.

10 October 2003: Metropolitan Curia of Krakow accepts a

miracle which allows for her beatification.

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Lvov: The Beatification Mass was held in the Bogdan Chmielnicki Park

of Culture25

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Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone presided.

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After the reading of the act of

Beatification, a Portrait of Sr.

Marta Wiecka by Marcin

Kolpanowicz was unveiled.

Blessed Sr. Marta holds in her hands

her journal of prayers and reflections.

In the background is a panorama of the

town of Sniatyn where she is buried.

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Reliquary holding the relics of Blessed Sr.

Marta Wiecka.

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Final resting place of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka

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An ecumenical service was held in the morning at the grave of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka.

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Later a Mass of Celebration was held in a park across the street

from the cemetery where Blessed Sr. Marta is buried. 33

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Bishop Leon Dubrawski of the diocese of

Kamieniec Podolski presided at the

Eucharist.

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Sr. Evelyne Franc, Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity, during her remarks said: “We know that the whole life of Sr. Marta was an

act of love for God whom she recognized in persons who are poor, in her Sisters, and all

those in need, whom she served with gentleness.”

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Front row seats: Sr Zofia Daniscakova, General Councillor; Sr. Juana Elizando, previous Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity;

Sr. Margaret Barrett, Assistant General; and Sr. Evelyne Franc, Superioress General of the Company of the Daughters of Charity.

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Auxiliary Bishop of the

Archdiocese of Lvov Leon Maly gave the homily. 38

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The portrait of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka was carried

in procession to its home in the Church of Our Lady of

the Scapular. 39

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Side Chapel: Home of the portrait of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka.

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The cross which originally marked the grave of

Blessed Sr. Marta.

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LORD GOD, you called Sister Marta

Wiecka to the

Company of the Daughters of Charity

to follow your Son and to serve him

in the person of the poor and the sick. In response to this call,

Sister Marta gave herself fully

to her Vincentian vocation,

even to the point of giving her life for another. . .

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. . . We thank you, Lord,

for the holiness and service

which we see in the life

of your servant Sister Marta.

Through her intercession,

please grant us the following favors, if they be in accord with your holy will.

(Name the intentions.) . . .

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. . .We ask this in humility and

confidence through Jesus Christ our

Lord. Amen.

Our Father... Hail Mary...

Glory to the Father...

O Mary conceived

without sin, pray for us who have

recourse to you.

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Blessed Sr. MARTA WIECKA, pray for us.

Feast Day: 30 May

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This presentation was put together by

Sr. Jean Marie Williams, DC

Seton Provincialate

26000 Altamont Road

Los Altos Hills, CA 94022