Sister Maria Redempta

Sister Maria Redempta        ND 5657             ⇒ PDF Download
Hildegard Praegla

Maria Regina Province, Coesfeld / Germany

Date and Place of Birth:                July 24, 1937            Lippitz / East Prussia, Germany
Date and Place of Profession:     August 18, 1963      Coesfeld
Date and Place of Death:              February 13, 2015   Coesfeld, Kloster Annenthal
Date and Place of Funeral:           February 19, 2015   Coesfeld, Convent Cemetery

“The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?“ Psalm 27:2

Sister Maria Redempta, Hildegard Praegla, was born in Lippitz, East Prussia, and spent the first seven years of her life with her four brothers on their parental farm.

Her father was killed during the last days of the war, on 1 May 1945. In January 1945, the family was expelled by the Polish. After a flight of several weeks, they found a new home in Ristedt, County Bremen.

After finishing school, Hildegard learnt cooking and housekeeping with our sisters at “Haus Meeresstern“, a health resort for children on the island of Wangerooge.

In 1960, she asked for admission into our congregation. After her religious formation, Sr. M. Redempta ministered in different houses, especially in the kitchen. Since she showed special skills in this area as well as in dealing with young people, she was trained as a housekeeper at Liebfrauenschule in Geldern.

She then ministered in Nottuln and Ahlen until she started her ministry in the kitchen at the students‘ hostel (Studentinnenbuse) in Münster in 1976.

Sr. M. Redempta wholeheartedly cared for the benefit of the trainees entrusted to her, providing them with advice and support. Some of them stayed in contact with her for many years.

In 2005, her serious illness caused a marked change in her life, which led to her transfer from Münster to the infirmary at Kloster Annenthal in 2009.

Difficult months followed until she finally felt at home here. During this process, the employees at the infirmary and of the social services as well as her co-sisters supported her with great patience; especially St. M. Hermtrud whom she knew from Münster and to whom she felt closely connected. (Sr. M. Hermtrud died in December 2013)

One of her guiding mottos, “Since there is God, I can be the one I am”, was certainly also a great help for Sr. M. Redempta.

Because of her progressing illness, Sr. M. Redempta was hardly able to communicate any more. However, from time to time she was still able to give us the great gift of her beaming and charming smile which had remained unchanged.

May she now rest for ever in the hands of our good God!