Sister Maria Rainarde ND 4288 PDF Download
Frieda Rießelmann
Maria Regina Province, Coesfeld/Germany
Date and Place of Birth: 07 November 1925 Lohne-Brägel, County Vechta
Date and Place of Profession: 12 August 1952 Ahlen
Date and Place of Death: 06 July 2018 Coesfeld, Kloster Annenthal
Date and Place of Funeral: 13 July 2018 Coesfeld, Convent Cemetery
All to the glory of God!
Sister Maria Rainarde was the eldest of 5 children. Life in her parents’ house was shaped by faith. From 1932 – 1940, Frieda attended the basic primary and secondary school and then the rural vocational school until 1942. From 1948 – 1949, she was at the Liebfrauenheim in Oldenburg, a home for ladies which our Congregation ran at that time, to learn cooking and housekeeping. The qualities mentioned in her graduation certificate, such as industriousness, interest, loyalty, and readiness to help characterized her further life.
In November 1949, Frieda asked for admission into the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Mülhausen, Lower Rhine. After completing her religious formation, Sister Maria Rainarde lived in different houses of our community where she ministered in vaious areas, e.g. at the reception desk, in a canteen, in a parish office or in administration. In these different ministries, she came into contact with many people whom she served with loving attention.
After these diverse first years of her religious life, Sister Maria Rainarde was confronted with a new challenge when she was appointed the novice director for the province of Coesfeld in 1962. In a spirit of faith and availability she accepted this ministry. It was a task in difficult times because there were great changes in society, in the Church, and in religious life. She found strength in the words “Be it done according to your will,” “All to the glory of God” and in the prayer “Holy Spirit ,show me the way and help me to walk it.”
After the novitiate had been restructured in 1970, Sister Maria Rainarde became local superior in different communities. From 1987 – 1995, she was provincial secretary. She completed all her tasks in a reliable and accurate way.
In her so-called retirement, she continued to assist at the reception desk and in the secretary’s office.
As she grew older and her physical strength declined, she retired more and more from active community life. She loved being alone and happily followed her own daily rhythm.
Community prayer was very important to Sister Maria Rainarde. When she was not able to go to chapel any more, it was very important for her to receive all the necessary information for the liturgy of the day ahead of time.
Faith and prayer helped her to bear the effects of aging and illness: “Be it done according to your will.” This complete surrender to God helped her to give her life back trustfully into God’s hands.
May Sister Maria Rainarde now live in His peace!
by Dreamhost