Sister M. Bertolina Pricking

✝ Saturday, December 10th 2022

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Mary said to the servants: "Do whatever HE tells you.” (Wedding at Cana, John 2:5)

Our kind and friendly God called home our dear Sister M. Bertolina Pricking, Hospital Sister of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis.

Born: March 17, 1939

Entrance: April 16, 1963

Profession: October 28, 1965

Died: December 10, 2022        

Sister M. Bertolina was born on March 17, on the feast of St. Gertrude and was given the name Gertrude. With her four siblings, she grew up on the Pricking farm in Sythen near Haltern. After school, she helped her parents in their farm.  She became acquainted with the Franciscan Sisters during internships in Haltern and in Münster.  In 1963, she joined our congregation. After completion of her training as a nurse, she served as a community nurse at the Caritas Institute on the Arenberg near Koblenz. This determined her path within the congregation. From 1975 until the dissolution of the convent in Lindern, she worked there in outpatient nursing care. Nevertheless, this was only a small part of her service. Together with Sister M. Helgard, it was impossible to imagine parish life without her for a long time. Both were part of the parish community.  They were open to all questions and were always approachable. Especially the Bazaars for the mission were close to Sister M. Bertolina's heart and the Palm-stick campaigns are unforgettable. In 2000, she was awarded with the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for her untiring efforts. 

Sister M. Bertolina was very close to her family. She was often able to take fellow Sisters home with her. Everyone still has fond memories of these visits to Pricking’s Hof. 

After the dissolution of the convent in Lindern in 2018, Sister M. Bertolina went to St. Francis House in Nordwalde as a senior resident, where she gladly contributed to convent life and performed many deeds of love for her fellow sisters, just as she did in Lindern. In the last weeks, her strength diminished and her body weakened. On the eve of the Third Advent, our good God took her to Himself. Now she can celebrate the everlasting Christmas with Him.

Gratefully we bid farewell to Sister M. Bertolina. We remain sisterly united to her in prayer and in the celebration of the Eucharist.

On Thursday, December 15, 2022, we will celebrate the Resurrection Mass for Sister M. Bertolina at 10.00 a.m. in the chapel of St. Franziskus House in Nordwalde and then say farewell to her at the parish 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.