Sister Maria Hermtraud

Sister  Maria  Hermtraud            ND 4782            ⇒PDF Download
Margret Hüging

Maria Regina Province, Coesfeld / Germany

Date and Place of Birth:               April 8, 1931            Ramsdorf, County Borken, Germany
Date and Place of Profession:    April 3, 1956            Coesfeld, Liebfrauenburg
Date and Place of Death:             June 25, 2014         Coesfeld, Kloster Annenthal
Date and Place of Funeral:          July 1, 2014             Coesfeld, Convent Cemetery

Sister Maria Hermtraud, Margret Hüging, grew up as the fifth of 14 children in a “very good and very religious family“ – as the then priest in Ramsdorf describes the Hüging family, also mentioning Margret’s vivid interest in the parish – especially in youth work. Because of the end of the war in 1945, Margret‘s schooldays stopped abruptly for the ninth graders without any official graduation. After working for about seven years on her parents’ farm, she was “allowed” – as she herself writes – to attend the school for housekeeping and farming at Marienhain, Vechta, from autumn 1951 to autumn 1952. And – as she continues in her curriculum vitae – “I was soon determined to follow the call to religious life.”

On May 5, 1953, she started her novitiate in the then provincial center of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Coesfeld. The parish priest certified Margret “the best qualities for religious life and for community life.”

After her final vows, she ministered in different houses for more than 20 years, e.g. in several big kitchens as well as in boarding schools. During that time, Sr. M. Hermtraud doubted more and more whether the active religious life corresponded to her vocation. She felt more attracted to the contemplative form of life. In order to examine her doubts, she lived for several months as a guest in the Benedictine convent St. Hildegard in Eibingen. After about half a year, she returned, being sure about her vocation to the active community of the Sisters of Notre Dame.

As before, she dedicated herself to our life and our ministries, now wholeheartedly committed to big kitchens. For many years, she competently took care of healthy and delicious meals for many boarders between 10 and 18 years at the school for economics and at the high school in Ahlen as well as for her co-sisters. On feast days she surprised us with her creative ideas regarding the meals and she skillfully taught several generations of cooking trainees.

She enjoyed her relationships with her “alumnae“ and was approachable whenever someone needed help. The contact with her relatives was equally important to Sr. M. Hermtraud. They also maintained close contact to her, even accompanying her on the final part of her journey.

Sr. M. Hermtraud loved participating in our community life, especially when she could sing with us. The preparation of community prayer and prayer services in the parish was very important to her. For years, she was a member of the church choir of St. Elisabeth parish in Ahlen.

After suffering for some months, she has now gone home – accompanied by attentive and caring nurses, sisters and relatives. Let us gratefully entrust her to our good and loving God.