The Sisters continued to put down in writing the virtues of their dear foundress and spiritual mother. In particular, they were greatly inspired by Mother Kolumba’s devotion to the Eucharist. One of her favorite quotes was from a priest’s writings on the life of St. Gertrude. St. Gertrude received a confirmation from Jesus that, “whenever someone is looking with enthusiasm and piousness upon [the] Holy Host… the person is winning a new level of glory awaiting them in Heaven; in the next meeting with [the] Lord the person will be rewarded with exclusive and appropriate spiritual happiness, according to how often [they] looked upon [the] Holy Flesh of our Lord with piousness and enthusiasm.”

“I See Great Similarity”

Mother Kolumba often spoke about this devotion with Mother Innocenta, a Sister of the Holy Sacrament in Lvov. Mother Kolumba would sometimes stay at the convent of the Sisters of the Holy Sacrament, and shared a close friendship with Sister Innocenta for thirty-one years. They had been introduced to by a past confessor, Father Kiejnowski, who took necessary measures that the two Sisters meet, saying, “I see great similarity between both of you; it is necessary for you to become friends and in the future [the] Lord will have glory due to that.”

Part of the catechesis of the Dominican Sisters was preparing children for their first confession and Holy Communion. Classes would be taught every Sunday, and the children were encouraged to adore Jesus in the Eucharist.

The Sisters themselves took part in a holy hour every Thursday, taking turns praying from 9 am to 10 pm in remembrance of Christ’s agony in the garden, and in thanksgiving for the gift of the Eucharist.

The Sisters today in Justice, IL carry on this tradition, which they make in addition to the common daily holy hour.

Taken from Chapter XXIII, pgs. 81-82 of the Life of the Reverend Mother Róża Kolumba Białecka, by Sr. Benwenuta Pasławska, Order of St. Dominic’s Sisters, Cracow, Poland, translated into English in 2007.

Because Mother Kolumba was growing older, the Sisters made a point to write down the stories and virtues of their beloved Reverend Mother, so they could pass them on to future members of the Congregation.

Mother Kolumba had many virtues, and her faith was alive and strong. She set an example for the Sisters in the Congregation in her prayer and worship of Jesus, particularly in the Blessed Sacrament. She spoke with much love and gratitude about the Mystery of Love which was the Eucharist. Every Mass on Thursday was celebrated in thanksgiving for the Sacrament of the Eucharist and in reparation for the offenses against the sacrament. The Reverend Mother spent many hours in prayer — marked with a visible love for Jesus. And as her biographer wrote, “The youngest Sisters testified that the very presence of Mother motivated them to pray even more enthusiastically.”

Her Confessor Forbade It

Because her days were so busy, Mother Kolumba used to go the the parish church for adoration, where she would spend the entire night in the church, praying until dawn. Eventually her confessor, Father Leszczyński, was forced to forbid this routine due to Mother’s weak health.

In her own heart, Mother Kolumba felt a deep pain caused by offenses against the Lord. Often, these sorrows would keep her awake at night, and “she prayed and apologized [to the] Holy Lord, even though she did not do anything herself to contribute to the sin.” Frequently, she encouraged the Sisters about how to worship Jesus in the Eucharist.

When Mother spent nights praying in the chapel,  she sometimes took with her one of the youngest sisters. Sr. Stanislawa was the one that Mother chose very often. When, after many years, Sr. Stanislawa became a novice Mistress, she shared those stories with her novices. And so the stories got passed on down through the years.

Taken from Chapter XXIII, pgs. 79-80 of the Life of the Reverend Mother Róża Kolumba Białecka, by Sr. Benwenuta Pasławska, Order of St. Dominic’s Sisters, Cracow, Poland, translated into English in 2007.

The glorious Battle of Lepanto, in an ancient painting.
Pope Pius V’s feast day was recently celebrated on April 30.

Despite his tears and protests, Michele Ghisleri – better known as St. Pius V – was elected Pope in 1566. Born into a poor family, he was taken in by the Dominicans, who gave him his education, and eventually he joined the Order when he turned fifteen.

He was a virtuous and simple man, buying little for himself. Although he would travel from one town to another to hear confessions as a priest, he did not own a cloak. When asked about this he remarked, “Poor followers of the Gospel ought to be content with one tunic.”

The Danger of Lukewarm Catholics

His love of the faith led to his appointment as an inquisitor in Milan and Lombardi, and later Pope Paul II appointed him inquisitor general for all of Christendom. He condemned heretics and showed zeal for the faith, saying, “All the evils of the world are due to lukewarm Catholics.”

Perhaps though, St. Pius V is best known for his institution of the feast of the Holy Rosary. This came about in 1571, when Pius declared a day of public prayer for the forces who opposed the Turks, who had been threatening Christianity in the West. On that day, October 7, the Christian army faced the Muslim fleets in the naval battle of Lepanto. When the Christian fleets were victorious, Pius V named the first Sunday in October the feast of the Holy Rosary, and began use of the Marian title, “Help of Christians.”

Did you know that the white cassock worn by Popes today comes from Pius V? He didn’t want to give up his white Dominican habit. And before his death, Pius prayed, “O Lord, increase my sufferings and my patience!” He was beatified and later canonized in 1712, by Clement XI.

The feast of St. Catherine of Siena is April 29.

By modern measures, she would probably be considered a superhero. St. Catherine of Siena, a Third Order Dominican, gave instruction to the Pope, received the wounds of Christ, lived on little food but the Eucharist, and was granted mystical visions, including one where Christ claimed her as his bride.

A saint of the 14^thcentury, St. Catherine was born in Siena, Italy, and joined the Dominican Tertiaries at the age of sixteen. She is famous for her letters to Pope Gregory XI, in which she urges him to return to Rome after he made his residency in Avignon, France.

In her letter, she writes to the pontiff saying, “Come, come, and resist no more the will of God that calls you; the hungry sheep await your coming to hold and possess the place of your predecessor and Champion, Apostle Peter. For you, as the Vicar of Christ, should abide in your own place. Come, then, come, and delay no more; and comfort you, and fear not anything that might happen, since God will be with you.“

Throws the Book of Love

In the same letter, this saint writes also of the mercy of God towards his Church, “God, therefore, seeing that man is so ready to love, throws the book of love straight at him, giving him the Word, His Only-Begotten Son, who takes our humanity to make a great peace. But justice wills that vengeance should be wrought for the wrong that has been done to God: so comes Divine Mercy and unspeakable Charity, and to satisfy justice and mercy condemns His Son to death, having clothed him in our humanity, that is, in the clay of Adam who sinned. So by His death the wrath of the Father is pacified, having wrought justice on the person of His son: so He has satisfied justice and has satisfied mercy, releasing the human race from the hands of demons.”

Read on EWTN, The Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena.

Following the retreat, as was the custom, the Order celebrated the ceremony in which the new Sisters took their veil and the older Sisters made their religious profession. The Sisters fondly bade their farewells to Father Weber, singing the “Cantemus Domino” for him. Mother Kolumba honored the dear Father by speaking to him of the many blessings which the priest had given to both the congregation and to herself personally in his years of service to the Order.

A Biography of Our First Dearest Mother

The same year, in August of 1886, the Reverend Mother turned forty-eight. At this time, the Sisters worried in particular about what Father Weber had said, yet hoped that their spiritual mother would live many more years. The Sisters spoke of the many virtues of Mother Kolumba, and as her biographer wrote of her holiness, “It is very difficult to express it with a pen, surely, because it is only God who knows with what treasures He enriched his faithful soul, how many graces he poured onto that soul!”

Her biographer took the care to write down these narratives from Mother Kolumba’s life for the sake of future members of the Order. These new Sisters would never “have this marvelous possibility to know our Mother in person and live when the late first Dearest Mother lived – a saint, one known and admired so commonly.” For their sake it was necessary to speak of their Foundress’ virutes, although as her biographer lamented, “everything that could be described would prove insufficient in comparison with reality.”

Taken from Chapter XXII, pgs. 79-80 of the Life of the Reverend Mother Róża Kolumba Białecka, by Sr. Benwenuta Pasławska, Order of St. Dominic’s Sisters, Cracow, Poland, translated into English in 2007.

Learn more about our Community, a life of prayer and apostolic ministry, and further the discerning of your vocation as well.

The retreat is a great opportunity to advance in vocation discernment by means of talks, Q & A, and a time of recreation and reflection with the Sisters. For more information, go to our Come & See Retreat page.

As Americans observe the foreboding specter of the government’s demands of the Catholic Church to violate its principles, we have no further to look than St. Stanislaus as an example of one who stood firmly for the faith, even unto his death.

One of Poland’s most prominent saints, St. Stanislaus, was heroic as both bishop and martyr. In the eleventh century, Boleslaw II ruled as king of Poland. After a series of military victories and successes, Boleslaw gained much renown among his people, but his character was flawed by cruelty and unbridled lust. After he carried off the wife of one of his own noblemen, the only person to dare chastise him was Stanislaus, the archbishop of Cracow.

Stanislaus had previously confronted the king over land belonging to the Church, which the king had taken for himself, and Boleslaw did not respond well to these criticisms. Although he condemned the king’s deeds, as a shepherd of the Church, Stanislaus tried to encourage Boleslaw to grow in holiness.

The King Continues His Stubbornness

Sadly, Boleslaw paid little heed to the archbishop’s corrections. Stanislaus thus excommunicated the king, who now saw Stanislaus as an enemy. Cut off from participating in praying the Divine Office, Boleslaw in turn defied Stanislaus by following him into the Chapel of St. Michael in Cracow. Accompanied by his guards, the king ordered Stanislaus to be killed during Mass. But the guards would not obey — they reported being frightened by a light coming from heaven. So Boleslaw slew the saint himself. Many artists depict this tragic scene of martyrdom showing Stanislaus keeling before the altar as he is struck by the king.

Saint Stanislaus has been named the patron saint of Poland — for both defending the Catholic faith during his life, and for his holy martyrdom. The Wawel Cathedral in Cracow houses the Saint’s relics in a silver sarcophagus, and beginning in the 1300′s, the kings would be crowned while kneeling in front of his relics. His feast day is April 11.

St. Stanislaus of Cracow, pray for us!

This is the continuation of the story of the life of the Mother Maria Kolumba BiaŁecka, foundress of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. In our last installment, the Congregation celebrated the wedding anniversary of two generous benefactors.

In the evening of the jubilee celebration, several of the older Sisters shared stories about the beginnings of the Foundation, and the joys and sorrows which they had experienced together. Mother Kolumba’s biographer spoke about the goodness of the Lord, “who so miraculously protected us during these 25 years; He protected us from different calamities and blows of the enemy, turning everything for our good.” On this special day, the Reverend Mother seemed “exceptionally radiant” and once again in good health.

How Long to Enjoy Her Presence?

At the end of August in 1886, the Sisters’ Reverend Father came for a short visit. Due to his pressing duties, he could only stay a mere three days with the Sisters, who continually worried about him due to his amount of work.

As usual, the Sisters were greatly pleased to see him again, but the Reverend Father delivered a homily which was somewhat difficult to hear. Because the Sisters greatly loved Mother Kolumba, he told them, their obedience to her had been very easy. Father reminded the Sisters that if a Sister with less virtues was chosen, their obedience to her would be much more difficult. He reminded the Congregation that they would not always have their Reverend Mother, and her successor would doubtlessly be unlike her.

Mother Kolumba was not with the Sisters during this homily at Father’s request, and the Sisters “listened to this preaching with tears, as it was sad.” It seemed to them that they were being prepared for only a brief period of time during which they would “enjoy the presence of our Pious Mother.”

Taken from Chapter XXII, pgs. 79 of the Life of the Reverend Mother Róża Kolumba Białecka, by Sr. Benwenuta Pasławska, Order of St. Dominic’s Sisters, Cracow, Poland, translated into English in 2007.

Why did the Son of God have to suffer for us? There was a great need, and it can be considered in a twofold way: in the first place, as a remedy for sin, and secondly, as an example of how to act.

It is a remedy, for, in the face of all the evils which we incur on account of our sins, we have found relief through the passion of Christ. Yet, it is no less an example, for the passion of Christ completely suffices to fashion our lives. Whoever wishes to live perfectly should do nothing but disdain what Christ disdained on the cross and desire what he desired, for the cross exemplifies every virtue.

If you seek the example of love: Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends. Such a man was Christ on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake.

If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross. Great patience occurs in two ways: either when one patiently suffers much, or when one suffers things which one is able to avoid and yet does not avoid. Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth. Therefore Christ’s patience on the cross was great. In patience let us run for the prize set before us, looking upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who, for the joy set before him, bore his cross and despised the shame.

Humility, Obedience Are Seen in the Crucified Christ

If you seek an example of humility, look upon the crucified one, for God wished to be judged by Pontius Pilate and to die.

If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the Father even unto death. For just as by the disobedience of one man, namely, Adam, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.

If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and gall to drink.

Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because they divided my garments among themselves. Nor to honors, for he experienced harsh words and scourging. Nor to greatness of rank, for weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head. Nor to anything delightful, for in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

This is the continuation of the story of the life of the Mother Maria Kolumba BiaŁecka, foundress of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. In our last installment, a trip to Lvov turned into an expansion of the Order.

Mother Kolumba and her Order celebrated the wedding anniversary of the Count and Countess Tarnowski, two of the most generous benefactors of the Congregation. As part of the celebration, Mother Kolumba received permission from the Bishop to celebrate a Votive Mass in the convent, followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, offered up for the intentions of the Count and Countess. The chapel was beautifully decorated, and the Tarnowska family was present for the Mass, which was celebrated by the pastor of the local parish.

Mother Kolumba’s biographer wrote, “[the] Honorable Counts were so moved by the service and cordial reception that they just could not hold their tears, and both expressed their profound gratitude several times to Most Reverend Mother… regretting, at the same time, that one of their sons, studying abroad, was not able to be present during this quiet and so unexpected ceremony.”

25^th Anniversary of Mother Kolumba as Prioress

On August 8, 1886, the Sisters celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the opening of their Novitiate in Wielowieś, which was also the jubilee of Mother Kolumba’s role as prioress. Many priests and friends of the Sisters came for the anniversary, gathering in large numbers inside the chapel, which was decorated for the occasion.

After Mass and exposition of the Eucharist, the Sisters met downstairs, and on behalf of the Congregation, Sister Benwenuta Pasławska “read out an emotional speech composed by herself” of gratitude and love to their Reverend Mother, who was deeply moved.

Many more people offered their best wishes to Mother Kolumba in the forms of poems, prose, and in writing, “trying to get closer like children in order to be near Most Reverend Mother.” Mother Kolumba was greatly pleased, and stayed to talk with them for over an hour, sharing stories of her recent visit to Rome, and offering food and holy pictures to all who were there.

Taken from Chapter XXII, pgs. 77-79 of the Life of the Reverend Mother Róża Kolumba Białecka, by Sr. Benwenuta Pasławska, Order of St. Dominic’s Sisters, Cracow, Poland, translated into English in 2007.