Sister Marie ND 4132 PDF Download
(formerly Sister Mary Magdaleen)
Marie Ann Magdalen SOBOSLAY
Christ the King Province, Chardon, Ohio, USA
Date and Place of Birth: August 31, 1926 Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Profession: August 16, 1947 Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Death: March 26, 2020 Health Care Center, Chardon, Ohio
Date and Place of Burial: March 31, 2020 Resurrection Cemetery, Chardon
Rabboni…my Master, my Teacher
Marie Ann was the fifth of eight children born to Stephen and Marie (Adzima) Soboslay. The family belonged to St. Benedict Parish in Cleveland where the children attended school. Marie was most content at home and cherished her parents and their loving ways. She was always proud of her Slovak heritage and loved the good times shared with family and friends. When her father died at age forty-eight, her mother was left alone to care for the children, ranging from twenty-three to six years of age. Marie saw how her mother courageously faced each day with faith and love. To help the family, Marie left school and secured a job as a clerk in a nearby store where she enjoyed meeting and assisting people.
As a young girl, Marie prayed for guidance about the choice of a future vocation. She knew her prayer was answered when she experienced a very strong call to religious life. Helping with their prayers were her father’s four Notre Dame cousins: Sisters Mary Bennet, Mary Lucie and Angela Marie Adamcin and Sister Mary Alda Cicik! Marie entered the Sisters of Notre Dame on January 23, 1945, and at investment received the name Sister Mary Magdaleen. Later she returned to her baptismal name Marie.
Sister’s entire religious life was dedicated to serving her sisters in community. She was meticulous in performing ordinary duties in an extraordinary way. Sister’s first ministry was in the area of food service. For twenty-two years, she prepared meals for the sisters at the provincial house and various affiliations in Ohio and Virginia. Sister Marie’s second ministry assignment, which lasted for more than thirty years, was in the provincial house sewing room. An accomplished seamstress, her specialty was making and repairing veils. She was willing to learn as adaptations to the habit occurred. Her exacting work ensured that each sister’s appearance reflected dignity and simplicity.
The last years of Sister Marie’s life were spent dealing with the challenge of Parkinson’s disease. These years brought much suffering, but she never gave up or gave in to the disease. Although Sister’s mobility declined, she was able to assist in the Notre Dame India Mission Office with her characteristic attention to detail. Love for music and for anything chocolate brought an ever-ready smile and a twinkle to her eye. Her eyes spoke of her prayerful gratitude and love for others.
Sister Marie had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart and to her “Rabboni,” the name by which her patron saint, Mary Magdalene, addressed Jesus on Easter morning. Her life-long prayer and spirituality are expressed in words from the poem, Rabboni, by Royston Allen: “My cherished, sweet Rabboni, how glad shall I be, to die with a hope of a welcome from Thee.” Jesus spoke her name in welcome, just as he had spoken to Mary Magdalene in the Easter garden. May Sister Marie now delight in the eternal embrace of our loving God.
by Dreamhost