Hospital Sisters of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis

Sister M. Dolorata Stukenborg

✝ Sunday, May 15th 2022

Saint Joseph, we praise you, for God has chosen you to be the foster father of His Son.

The Risen God called Sister M. Dolorata Stukenborg to His eternal peace. 

Date of birth:                        September 27, 1937

Entrance:                                January 31, 1959

First profession of vows:        October 28, 1961

Date of death:                          May 14, 2022 

Sister M. Dolorata was born Elisabeth Stukenborg on a farm in the Bakum district of Südholz in the district of Vechta, and from there she entered our congregation at the age of 22.

After training as a nurse and pediatric nurse, she worked first in the pediatric ward of  St. Marien Hospital in Bottrop and then at St. Josef-Stift in Sendenhorst. When she developed a severe allergy, she unfortunately had to give up her beloved service for the sick children. She was transferred to several small convents where she managed the household for the sisters and made many good contacts with people in the community. She had especially good memories of the 13 years in Hamm-Marl. After that, she went to St. Joseph's House in Seppenrade and cared the sacristy service in Datteln, until the convent was dissolved in last fall. 

Sister M. Dolorata spent her last months in the motherhouse in Münster. By then she was already severely marked by her cancer, which had accompanied her for many years. In the palliative ward, she experienced short-term relief from her symptoms. For the last three days, the staff of St. Heriburg House cared her.  She gave her life back into the hands of God in the presence of her fellow sisters. 

Sister M. Dolorata was a great devotee of the Holy Family, especially of St. Joseph. Like him, she went her way through life quietly and modestly, always diligent and turned toward people. She used her talent of handcraft in sewing. This she did very gladly and well. As quietly as her role model, St. Joseph, she made her way to God. HE took our Sister M. Dolorata to heaven on the eve of the fifth Sunday of Easter. 

Gratefully we bid farewell to Sister M. Dolorata. We remember her in prayer and in the celebration of the Eucharist, we remain united with her.

The Eucharist celebration for Sister M. Dolorata is on Thursday, May 19, 2022, at 9.00 a.m. in the Motherhouse Church. After the Mass, the funeral will be in the Sisters' Cemetery. Due to the Corona pandemic, the usual rules apply.