Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis

Sr. M. Agnieszka Pampuch


Monika Pampuch was born on 4th April, 1959 in Małe Dobrynje. She comes from a large family and her parents worked hard on a farm. They got their strength mostly from faith. She  can't remember even one day without praying together with her parents and siblings. They spend also holidays and Sundays together. Reflecting on her family life she said: "It was great to go to Holy Mass on foot in the morning and then to vespers in the afternoon. There was nothing too hard for us. Each of us had our own duty which was gladly fulfilled. Since childhood we were used to sharing everything evenly and fair, even a chocolate bar was cut into 9 pieces. In my family home we adored Holy Mary greatly. She was really close to us. We said the rosary and recited a litany every day. We all knew it by heart because each day someone else could lead prayers. We celebrated all Marian holidays ceremonially. We used to go to church fairs to different parishes. We also went by train to many Marian sanctuaries. I owe my parents and my older siblings a lot. They taught me life by faith.  Our family motto was: Pray and work. We led simple, ordinary, happy life. We learnt how to earn a living honestly and respect each slice of bread."

Religious formation

When she was seventeen, she entered Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis in the Polish Province to serve God and people. She made her first profession of vows on May 6, 1979 and her final profession on August 11, 1985. "Experiencing God's love daily and learning from my own mistakes I remain in constant formation. Merciful Jesus and Mary show me the way to fulfill His holy will," she says.

Education

Sister Agnieszka admits thankfully that she indebted to the Congregation for all her professional education. In 1983 she graduated from Medical School and became certified nurse. Then she graduated from Higher Education Institution of Management and Administration in Opole and received a master's degree. She also finished graduate studies – management of welfare homes. Being in the Congregation she also passed her driving test and received driver's license and she learnt German a bit.

Work

Sister Agnieszka worked mostly as a nurse in hospitals in different wards - internal medicine ward, children's ward. Working as a nurse by beds of sick and suffering people I felt the best because there I tried to be an instrument in Merciful Jesus hands.  She worked in Merciful Jesus Hospice in Gliwice for three years. In Opole she was a director of two homes – for elderly and sick people. She was also involved in building and renovation matters in the Province. Since 2007 she has been a director of Welfare Home in Ludwikowice.

She has taken part in five Provincial Chapters and two General Chapters. She served also as a house superior, provincial councilor and vicaress. "I didn't seek my personal promotion, but when I was chosen for different offices in the Congregation I always devoted myself to the service totally."

Something for soul, something for body

Sister Agnieszka says about her current service:  "As a director of Welfare Home in  Ludwikowice I still must learn this difficult but beautiful work with disabled children but first of all I still must learn how to get through to them best. It is totally different job then the one in hospice or hospital. There is so much human pain and so much love, warmth and humility at the same time. There is a lot to learn.

I really care about good formation in Franciscan spirit of our workers so that they can be more and more effectively involved in co-responsibility for our work. Therefore I organize for them different meetings, conferences, retreats and pilgrimages. In 2009 we were on pilgrimage-retreat in La Salette, Lourdes, Fatima.

"Let us hurry to love people; they depart so quickly" – these are words of Polish priest and poet Jan Twardowski. 

Each day I thank God for the gift of my religious vocation.