SISTER MARTA WIECKA

1874-1904 Daughter of Charity on the road to sainthood

Rumors of a Saint
In August 1990 Daughters of Charity from Krakow, Poland came to the town of Sniatyn, Ukraine to search for the grave of a holy woman, revered by the local population as Matushka.
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ey discovered that Matushka was a Daughter of Charity named Sr.

MARTA WIEC .

In Sniatyn, people of all creeds - Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Orthodox, and even non-believers - regarded Sr. Marta as their Mother (Matushka) and Sister (Monashka) who would listen to their prayers and obtain for them graces and favors.

Who was Sr. Marta Wiecka?

Marta Anna Wiecka was born 12 January 1874 in the town of Nowy Wiec. It is now part of Poland, but then it was part of Prussia.

Martas home in Nowy Wiec

Who was Sr. Marta Wiecka?

Marta was the third of 13 children born to a wealthy land owner Marcelino Wiecki and his wife, Paulina (Kamrovska) Wiecka. ere were six daughters and seven sons, three of whom died in infancy and ve others died at a young age.
Nowy Wiec: the village of the Wiecka family

Her foundation in faith

Six days a er birth Marta was baptized in the church in the town of Szczodrowo.

e church in Szczodrowo

e strong Catholic faith of her family nurtured in her a deep love of God and desire to serve Him.
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Vocation

At the age of 16 Marta tried to enter the Daughters of Charity in the town of Chelmno, but was told that she was too young.
Provincial House in Chelmno
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At the age of 18 Marta tried again to join the Daughters of Charity in Chelmno, this time with her friend Monika Gdaniec. Because the occupying government of Prussia restricted the number of aspirants the religious community in Chelmno could accept, Marta and her friend approached the Daughters of Charity in Krakow.

And they were accepted!

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Formation
26 March 1892 Postulatum 12 August 1892 Seminary 21 April 1893 Sent on Mission

Daughters of Charity Provincial House, Krakow

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21 April 1893: Sr. Marta was sent on her rst mission to a hospital in Lvov.

Once there she quickly gained the reputation as a Sister who loved her patients and serve them with great devotion.

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A year and a half later on 15 November 1894, she was missioned again to a hospital in Podhajce. Here for the next ve years she tirelessly served the sick as a good nurse and a faithful Daughter of Charity. 12

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In 1902 Sr. Marta was sent to serve at a hospital in the town of Bochnia. Shortly a er she arrived, a patient at the hospital became jealous of the care she gave to a young man with tuberculosis.
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is patient spread the rumor that Sr. Marta was having an AFFAIR with the young man -and that she was PREGNANT!

e parish priest heard the rumors and demanded that superiors remove Sr. Marta!
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But her Sister Servant Sr. Maria Chablo insisted that Sr. Marta is an innocent soul completely given to God. I can be as sure of her as I am of myself!

Sr. Marta stayed on in Bochnia for two more years and was completely vindicated.
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In 1902 Sr. Marta was missioned to the hospital in the town of Sniatyn. Here her sanctity would shine for all to see.
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e two short years that Sr. Marta served in Sniatyn, people of all creeds and no creed at all came to admire and love her. Why? because of her extraordinary LOVE, her P YER, and her
SERVICE.
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Sr. Marta took the place of a family man whose job it was to clean the typhus ward. She contracted typhus.
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In her illness she was surrounded by her Sisters and her brother Fr. Jan.

On 30 May 1904, at the age of 30, Sr. Marta died.

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Since 1904, through two world wars and Soviet occupation,

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the people of Sniatyn and surrounding areas have come with their needs and prayers

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to the grave of their Matushka, Sr. MARTA WIECKA.

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They know what the Catholic Church is just beginning to determine

Sr. Marta Wiecka is a

SAINT!
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Lvov Cathedral, 26 June 1997: the process for canonization begins.

10 October 2003: Metropolitan Curia of Krakow accepts a miracle which allows for her beati cation.
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Lvov: e Beati cation Mass was held in the Bogdan Chmielnicki Park of Culture
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Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone presided.

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A er the reading of the act of Beati cation, a Portrait of Sr. Marta Wiecka by Marcin Kolpanowicz was unveiled.
Blessed Sr. Marta holds in her hands her journal of prayers and re ections. In the background is a panorama of the town of Sniatyn where she is buried.

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Reliquary holding the relics of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka.

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Final resting place of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka

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An ecumenical service was held in the morning at the grave of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka.
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Later a Mass of Celebration was held in a park across the street from the cemetery where Blessed Sr. Marta is buried.

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Bishop Leon Dubrawski of the diocese of Kamieniec Podolski presided at the Eucharist.
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Sr. Evelyne Franc, Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity, during her remarks said: We know that the whole life of Sr. Marta was an act of love for God whom she recognized in persons who are poor, in her Sisters, and all those in need, whom she served with gentleness.
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Front row seats: Sr Zo a Daniscakova, General Councillor; Sr. Juana Elizando, previous Superioress General of the Daughters of Charity; Sr. Margaret Barre , Assistant General; and Sr. Evelyne Franc, Superioress General of the Company of the Daughters of Charity.
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Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Lvov Leon Maly gave the homily. 38

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The portrait of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka was carried in procession to its home in the Church of Our Lady of the Scapular.

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Side Chapel: Home of the portrait of Blessed Sr. Marta Wiecka.

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e cross which originally marked the grave of Blessed Sr. Marta.

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LORD GOD, you called Sister Marta Wiecka to the Company of the Daughters of Charity to follow your Son and to serve him in the person of the poor and the sick. In response to this call, Sister Marta gave herself fully to her Vincentian vocation, even to the point of giving her life for another. . .
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. . . We thank you, Lord, for the holiness and service which we see in the life of your servant Sister Marta. Through her intercession, please grant us the following favors, if they be in accord with your holy will. (Name the intentions.) . . .
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. . .We ask this in humility and con dence through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory to the Father...

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.
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Blessed Sr. MARTA WIECKA, pray for us.

Feast Day: 30 May
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is presentation was put together by Sr. Jean Marie Williams, DC Seton Provincialate 26000 Altamont Road Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
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