Sister M. Gerlanis Steven

✝ Thursday, November 10th 2022

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Christ - Victor, Christ - King, Christ - Lord for ever and ever. (German Hymn book ’Gotteslob’ No. 560)

The Risen Lord called to himself our dear Sister M. Gerlanis Steven.

                             Born:               April 2, 1928

                             Entrance:        January 25, 1951

                             Profession:     October 28, 1953

                              Died:               November 10, 2022

Sister M. Gelanis was born in Gronau - Epe and grew up in the circle of several brothers and sisters. National Socialist regime and the Second World War marked her childhood. Her school-leaving certificate of 1943 has an imprint of the imperial eagle. It is also noted that the student participated in confessional religious education. 

In January 1951, Antonia Steven followed her biological sister, our Sister M. Gerwida, and joined our congregation.

After her nursing exams at St. Franziskus Hospital in Münster, she worked in the private wards in Lingen, Münster and in Ahaus. After that, many patients got to know and appreciate her as a sensitive pastoral caregiver. At the same time, she took care of the chapel in the convents.

We got to know Sister M. Gerlanis as an upright fellow sister, who was very devoted to people. Until the end she was very interested in everything that was happening in our international congregation.

When her strength began to fail, she came to Seppenrade as a senior citizen in 2011. Due to illness, Sister M. Gerlanis had to move to St. Heriburg House in 2019. Patiently she endured the sufferings and infirmities of old age. On the night of November 10, 2022, God took her to Himself, unexpectedly for us, after she had spoken for a long time on the phone with a fellow sister the night before.

We gratefully bid farewell to Sister M. Gerlanis. We remember her in prayer and in the celebration of the Eucharist and remain united to her.

Sister M. Gerlani's wish was to be buried in Nordwalde near her biological Sister M. Gerwida. On Wednesday, November 16, 2022, we will celebrate the Resurrection Mass at 2.00 p.m. in the chapel of St. Franziskus-Haus in Nordwalde and then say farewell to her at the Catholic cemetery, where she will find her final resting place.  Afterwards we share our memories at coffee in St. Franziskus-House. Because of the corona pandemic, the usual rules apply