of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
(Sophia Gecewicz)
February 13, 1919 – June 7, 2002
Immaculate Conception Province
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
“May the Divine Heart be your refuge, your shelter and your repose.” (Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Journey with Her)
It was in the early afternoon hours of the First Friday in June, June 7, 2002, to be exact, that Sister Mary Michael, ever devoted to the Sacred Heart, quietly entered her eternal inheritance. The past few days had seen a steady stream of visitors, friends and sisters alike, who came to offer prayer and song in Sister’s last hours. As Sister Mary Michael lived in the embrace of Jesus’ heart, so she would die. This particular First Friday, was, indeed special: it was the anniversary of Sister Mary Michael’s entrance into religious life. Yes, amidst sisters and friends, Sister Mary Michael entered into the great and glorious eternal jubilee where her Beloved whom she had faithfully served for sixty-five years awaited her.
Born to a warm and loving family to whom she remained close, Sister Mary Michael was the daughter of proud parents, Stanislaus Gecewicz and Philomena Lajkowicz. She came into the world on February 13, 1919, in Brooklyn, New York. Not even two weeks later, on February 23, 1919, she was named Sophia Agnes in the living waters of the baptismal font at St. John Cantius Church.
The promises made on that day took root and were nourished in the life-giving soil of family love and values. As Sophia prepared to receive Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion, her aunt offered her a sum of money to buy what might have been considered an extraordinary gift: a gold cross and chain. In Sister Mary Michael’s reminiscences, she clearly recalled, “I told my aunt I would rather give the money to my mother to save for me when it would be time for me to go to the convent.” Even at that young and tender age, Sophia was determined to be a sister! Like her sister before her, Anna Marie, who later became Sister M. Irenea in the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, little Sophia looked forward to and prepared for the day when she, too, would enter religious life. In fact, when asked one day in the dentist’s office if she missed her older sister Anna Marie, Sophia answered without hesitation that she had certainly missed her sister, but not too much because she knew she would one day join her in Nazareth.
And so she did. With a heart brimming with joyous anticipation, Sophia Agnes accepted the gift of a call to religious life when she entered the Congregation on June 7, 1937. On June 22, 1938, Sophia received the name Sister Mary Michael and looked longingly to the day of first profession on July 25, 1940. Her baptismal covenant was sealed forever in the perpetual profession of chastity, poverty and obedience on August 10, 1946, in the provincialate chapel, Torresdale, Pennsylvania.
As in the tradition of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, Sister Mary Michael chose a mystery that exemplified her deepening spirituality and would, from that time on, be known as Sister Mary Michael of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. Ever faithful to her chosen mystery throughout her lifetime, Sister Mary Michael could frequently be found before the Heart of Jesus in Eucharistic adoration in the Torresdale chapel that she came to love so very much. Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to the Sacred Heart were constants in Sister’s life no matter where or to what ministry the congregation called her.
Sister received a Bachelor of Art degree in education from Marywood College in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in 1955. And some time later in May of 1971 she was awarded a Master of Art in French from Rivier College, Nashua, New Hampshire.
Love for the Congregation marked Sister Mary Michael’s entire life and scope of service. A teacher by profession, Sister served in elementary education at St. Stanislaus School, Brooklyn, and at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Scranton, Pennsylvania before returning to the Philadelphia area and Villa Nazareth in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania where she served as Postulant Director for two years. Then, in 1958, Sister Mary Michael came home to Torresdale where she was to spend the rest of her years in active ministry to the families at Nazareth Academy. A teacher at Nazareth Academy Grade School for eleven years, Sister was well prepared to assume the role of principal at the Grade School from 1969 to 1979. From the little ones, she would later recall, she believed to have learned more than she taught: in their simplicity she came to easily recognize and dared to follow the designs of her Lord for her own life. Later, at Nazareth Academy High School from 1979 to 1998, Sister assumed a variety of teaching and staff positions. In all, Sister wholeheartedly imparted to her students an awareness of God’s continuing goodness and unconditional love by highlighting the unique gift each child was destined to be. Truly, over time, the Nazareth families were to become like her own!
To selflessly return in faith what one has been given is the essence of the love that motivated Sister Mary Michael’s conduct. She freely and creatively used the gifts that Jesus had lovingly placed within her. Her writing was such a gift. For the love of God and to God’s greater glory, Sister centered her writings on the Congregation and its history, and, more specifically on Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd whom Sister revered and loved with an abiding passion. For many years, she was the editor of “REFLECTIONS,” a quarterly newsletter about Mother Foundress and the Congregation that was disseminated to the Nazareth community throughout the world. In a book she had written for children in 1986, Love Finds A Way, Sister Mary Michael sought to provide young minds and hearts with the model and inspiration of Mother Foundress that Sister had found and cultivated in her own life.
Sister’s love for Polish culture and heritage was proudly articulated in her translation work through the years. Whether a friendly letter from someone’s pen pal or translations for the historian Edward Pinkoski of Philadelphia and others, Sister gladly took up the task of providing what help she could without fanfare or seeming notice.
True to her deep friendship in the Lord, she did no less than what she was called to do in a spirit of quiet humility.
In her last years at the provincialate, Sister Mary Michael, in a particular way, nourished the rich soil of family life and values that she had learned in her own family’s home so long ago. Ministry to families was always a part of her life as a Nazareth Sister, but now so in a somewhat more concentrated way. Her own heart, molded in the loving embrace of the Divine Heart, found joy and consolation in the reverential care she offered to families who had suffered illness or death – trouble of any kind. Sister Mary Michael lovingly took up the challenge of the Congregation’s charism and attempted to bring cheer and courage to those in need by a call or short written note. Sister Mary Michael’s days were always quite full!
Even as her health began to fail due to the heart condition that caused her increasing frailty, Sister continued to share the goodness of God in the additional housekeeping details she would cheerfully assume even as she ministered as portress at the provincialate. The Heritage Room at the provincialate was her particular pride and joy. After all, it was there that Nazareth’s story through history and around the world unfolded. To those who knew her, it somehow seemed evident that Sister’s loyalty to the Congregation found expression in her meticulous and dedicated care of its contents.
Just recently, in January of 2002, Sister Mary Michael retired to Mount Nazareth after suffering several bouts with congestive heart failure. It was the same that brought her to Nazareth Hospital this one last time in late May. There was very little more that could be done by the doctors. Sister Mary Michael returned to Mount Nazareth where her physical strength began to ebb away ever more rapidly until she breathed her last in the embrace of the Eucharistic Heart that had so faithfully companioned and loved her in life.
In notes made in preparation for her day of burial, Sister Mary Michael writes, “I tried to be faithful. I trust and pray that the Lord will be gracious to me.” Have no fear, Sister Mary Michael, good and faithful daughter of Nazareth. Mother Foundress surely comes to welcome you with all the saints to the great and glorious jubilee, your eternal inheritance. In the words of your dear Mother, Blessed Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, “May the Divine Heart be your refuge, your shelter and your repose . . .” now and forever!
Digitized by S. Brendan O'Brien, CSFN
Instructor
School of Arts & Sciences
History Department
Holy Family University
9801 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19114
215-637-7700 x3279
srbrendan@holyfamily.edu
http://web3.holyfamily.edu/srbrendan
Last updated: October 2006