Sister M. Valenta Piechota

Born: February 17, 1939
Entrance: July 26, 1958
Professed: May 3, 1961
Died: December 25, 2024

On December 25, 2024, on Christmas Day and the first day of the jubilee year, GOD called our dear Sister to His Kingdom.

“The Lord has shown his salvation. Alleluia.”

Sister M. Valenta was born on February 17, 1939 in Opole – Stephanshöh. She entered our Congregation on July 26, 1958 and made her first profession on May 3, 1961.

As a trained nurse, she served in various hospitals and nursing homes in the Polish Province until 1985. Her last assignment as a nurse was in the Oncological Children’s Clinic in Wroclaw.

On May 1, 1985, she took up the post of the Directress of the Nursing Home in Groß Döbern, where she worked for seven years. From May 1, 1992, she lived in the Provincial House. She worked here for 32 years. Initially, she served the sick and our elderly sisters with care and dedication at the sick Sisters’ Department. She also cared for the seriously ill priest of the provincial house, Father Aleksander Gajda, until 1999.

Sister M. Valenta had a special gift for taking care of the sisters who were suffering from senile dementia. She cared for them patiently and devotedly – even when her physical condition was already very weakened. She willingly accompanied many Sisters on their journey to the Lord, kept vigil and prayed at their bedsides.

The Sisters will remember Sister M. Valenta as a dedicated person in her various ministries of the community, conscientious and prayerful. For many years she led the elderly sisters’ prayer ministry for many intentions of the province, the congregation and the world.

She maintained good relations and lively contacts with the Franciscans, which strengthened her spiritual life. She also maintained good contacts with her family and many friends.

Due to her limited mobility, she spent a lot of time in prayer, listening to the radio, reading, knitting and crocheting.  She was the one who crocheted our cords.

On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opened the Jubilee door – “the holy door of the heart of God”, which was opened also for Sister M. Valenta at 8:30 a.m. on Christmas Day. She expressed her gratitude to the Sisters, the Franciscans, the priests and the family for every kindness and asked for our prayers.