Diocese: Cologne
Pioneers: Sisters Monthi Mary Martis, Candida Noronha and Shobha D’Souza
Marien Convent at Liblar-Erftstadt is located twenty kilometres south-west of Cologne in the Rhein-Erft Kreis1. A young town created in 1969, Erftstadt consists of 14 zones. As a bicycle-friendly city, with its exceptional road and rail transport, Erftstadt provides excellent traffic connection for all its surrounding towns and for the Federal High Way. The Ursuline Franciscan Sisters landed at Erftstadt on October 1, 1995 through the instrumentality of late Ms Margaret Berkel, a lover of Indians and a benefactress of the Congregation. She had also played an important role earlier in making the Ursuline Franciscan presence a reality in Germany through the first house at Hattingen. At that time Munch Stift was in crisis, in need of religious women to look after the spiritual need of the sick and the aged. It was also a plan of Munch family who donated this land to the Commune to look after the disabled. Mrs Margaret Berkel’s proposal to take up service at Munch Stift at Liblar was due to this need of religious women in the Institute.
Ms Margaret approached Fr Wilhelm Hosen, parish priest of Liblar; he opened avenues for access of the Sisters in Liblar- Erftstadt. Sr Edilburga, Superior General followed up the matter with Archbishop Joachim Kardinal Meisuer of Köln Archdiocese as well as with Fr Wilhelm Hosen and Dr Franz-George Rips the President of Munch Stift. Sr Monthi Mary Martis pioneered to the place all alone. It ought to be noted that she was involved actively in this new establishment. She explored possibility of finding a second establishment of the Congregation in Germany. Sr Monthi requires to be remembered not just for her active involvement in procuring an establishment at Cologne, the birthplace of Fr Urban Stein, founder of the Congregation, but also for her determined fortitude to deal with hassles related to her work and stay, all alone until Sisters Candida Noronha and Shobha D’Souza joined her on January 6, 1996.
On October 9, 1996 Marien Convent was inaugurated after its renovation. The house consisting of seven rooms, a hall and a kitchen is indeed luxurious if seen from the European standards. Earlier Vincentiner Sisters, (a German-born Congregation) occupied the house; a part of it was occupied by the sick. Fr Wilhelm Hosen and Fr Jeffery Monis presided over the inaugural Eucharistic celebration. Claristen Capuchin Sisters (German-born Congregation serving at Hattingen), Ms Margaret Berkel & family and well-wishers were present at the occasion.
The fully formed community along with Sr Monthi carried on their demanding schedule, both in the institute and at home with determination and generous inner disposition. In the succeeding years, there have been new arrivals either to replace or to add to the number of community members. Sr Leena Rodrigues replaced Monthi Martis as animator as the former was transferred to Hattingen in July 2006. In September 2007 Sr Leena Rodrigues was appointed Regional Superior, which made Marien Convent the Regional House. She continued the twin responsibility until she moved to a new establishment, Essen Überruhr in 2010 and Sr Lucy Lobo was appointed animator of the community.
Service to the elderly and sick is the fundamental apostolic activity of the Sisters at Erftstadt. The Sisters strive to find meaning in their apostolate by seeing in and through the elderly, the suffering Christ. In view of this, they place prayer in the first place both individually and communally. Keeping aside all inconveniences, especially those related to their work schedule, they join together for prayer and spiritual exercises. Holy hour, monthly adoration, zonal recollection, gospel sharing, Mauna, retreat etc are observed with utmost care. The Claristen Sisters (cloistered) chapel at a distance of one and half kilometres from Marien Convent has been a blessing; the Sisters walk the distance daily on weekdays to celebrate Eucharist there. Lately, Fr Wilhelm Hosen has been more available to the Sisters for spiritual needs as he resides in the vicinity of Marien Convent.
The noble work of the Sisters has been bearing fruit. Inmates of Marien Home for the Aged and patients at Marien Hospital (Sisters Lucy Lobo and Precilla Pereira render their service in the hospital as nursing staff) appreciate gratefully services of the Sisters. The sick and the aged wait in queue in order to obtain admission into these institutions; according to statistics, the number of patients in the hospital has increased threefold. The Sisters attend to the spiritual needs of the inmates. Conducting Communion service and praying Rosary every fortnight has been a regular spiritual activity. Accompanying the dying, attending their funeral ceremonies, visiting the sick and praying with them and for them are customary. The Sisters go out of their way in bringing a ray of hope in the life of the inmates. Apart from this, they participate in cultural programmes around Christmas season, in carnival, summer feasts, and in Tag der offenen Tür literally means ‘day of open doors’. The Sisters of Marien Convent express their sincere gratitude towards Sisters and officials of the Congregation for supporting them through prayer, and through care and encouragement.
