Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception

Fra Angelico’s depiction of 18 Dominican saints

This is the continuation of the story of the life of the Mother Maria Kolumba, foundress of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. In our previous installment, the Sisters finished the cloister, thanks to the generous aid from the villagers, but declined to move in until the chapel for the Blessed Sacrament was completed.

The chapel continued to be built, but again, funds were short, and there was fear the bricklayers would quit if they were not paid on time. Mother Kolumba prayed fervently for a solution about the concern of the Sisters.

One day, a messenger on a horse arrived at the convent with an envelope. The messenger left quickly after delivering the envelope, and the sister found that “there was no single word in the letter, only a banknote of 1000 Guldens.” The Sisters never found out the identity of their mysterious benefactor.

The Most Reverend Father Vincent Jandel’s Arrival

The following year, October 1867, the reverend mother was overjoyed by the visit of the Reverend Father Vincent Jandel, general of the Dominican Order. Both the Sisters of the congregation and the visiting villagers warmly welcomed Father Jandel to Wielowieś, and sang to him a poem in French! Continue reading ‘Dominican Master General Praises the Growing Congregation’ »

Mother Kolumba prayed before this very altar at the Wielowies convent chapel.

This is the continuation of the story of the life of the Mother Maria Kolumba, foundress of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. In our previous installment, Mother Kolumba worked alongside Father Leszczyński in fostering devotion to the Blessed Sacrament among his parishioners. The first stages of construction began for her community’s monastery, and many of the local villagers donated their time to assist the sisters in the building.

In spite of all their work in the fields, the villagers continued to aid the sisters in the construction of the convent, and by July of that year, the walls were erected. Three months later, Father Leszczyński consecrated the iron cross which was mounted at the top of the convent, and by winter, the building was completed.

Although the convent was thus finished, the funding ran out before the chapel had been built. The Reverend Mother did not wish to live there until the Blessed Sacrament could be housed in the convent as well, so the sisters did not yet move to their new home. Continue reading ‘Three Sisters Take the Veil as Chapel Cornerstone Is Lain’ »

The Sisters' convent and chapel in Wielowieś. It looks much the same as it did in the 1800's.

This is the continuation of the story of the life of the Mother Maria Kolumba, foundress of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. In our previous installment, Mother Kolumba and her sisters continued their care for the sick and dying, assisting many patients in holy deaths.

Father Leszczyński aided the sisters as he fostered devotion to the Blessed Sacrament in the hearts of his parishioners. According to his wishes, during Sundays in May, the villagers would come for a procession to the Church.

There would be singing and prayer, and as Mother Kolumba’s biographer would write, “one of the younger farmers takes a big cross and leads the procession,  and whoever can, joins the group and singing, comes to church for Vespers….” Continue reading ‘Parishioners and Countrymen Pitch In to Build Convent’ »