of the Infant Jesus
(Mary Gumienna)
August 11, 1914 – November 5, 2004
Immaculate Heart of Mary Province
Monroe, Connecticut
“As Jesus offered himself through the hands of his Mother for the accomplishment of his Father’s will . . . you should offer yourself to Christ through the heart of his Mother for the fulfillment of his will and plans in all matters.” Journey with Her, page 58.
Scranton, Pennsylvania is a town known for its productive coal mines. For Nazareth, Scranton is more notably a seedbed of vocations – three of them from the Gumienna family alone. Five children were born to the family of Gregory Gumienna and Caroline Golas. An early death claimed little Paul, and it was Peter who carried on the family descendence – for in time all three daughters – Catherine, Mary and Rose – became Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Mary Gumienna was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on August 11, 1914, and was baptized four days later. She grew up in a loving, hardworking family, one that openly witnessed to their Catholic faith. Hardly a year after graduation from the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary School in Scranton, Mary followed her older sister Catherine to Torresdale, Pennsylvania, where she also entered the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth on February 2, 1928. When she received the white veil of a novice on July 8, 1930, Mary Gumienna became Sister Mary Fides and later changed her name to Miriam Fides. She pronounced first vows on September 1, 1932, and, upon making final profession on August 15, 1938, took as her mystery, the Infant Jesus.
Thereafter, for almost six decades, Sister Miriam Fides dedicated herself to the field of education. She taught on both primary and secondary levels in various schools in McAdoo, Philadelphia, and Throop, Pennsylvania; Utica and Brooklyn, New York; Worcester, Massachusetts; New Haven, Connecticut. Sister also completed a three-year term as superior-principal, and for one year was teacher and Director of Aspirants in the newly-formed Immaculate Heart of Mary Province.
A good student during her school days, Sister Miriam Fides was good to students of her own. She was fair, patient and kind in her treatment of them. Love of God was foremost for Sister and she zealously endeavored to instill this love in her pupils as well as promote priestly and religious vocations among them. Prolonging religion class time became for her a means to that end.
Sister Miriam Fides was mostly a quiet, private person and preferred to keep much to herself. Still she easily engaged in gracious conversation with others. Generally a serious person, Sister would often surprise her listeners with bits of unexpected humor, and enjoyed a good laugh herself. She was a good listener, and expressed interest in contemporary events and in the concerns of others, who left her presence feeling uplifted, encouraged and affirmed.
Her religious life meant everything to Sister Miriam Fides. She was a good community person – obedient, hardworking, ready to help whenever, wherever help was needed. Modest about her own person, she respected the dignity of others and spoke well of them. She was careful not to waste things, and carefully recycled colorful designs on napkins and cards, creatively converting them into lovely decorations for doors and bulletin boards. Walking down a convent hallway, it was easy to discover which was Sister Miriam’s room.
Prayer was a priority for Sister Miriam Fides, and her fidelity to prayer revealed a certain calmness about her. She seemed, especially in her last illness, to be so accepting of all that was happening to her, as the expressed will of God even though she did not understand it.
By the time Sister Miriam Fides retired to Immaculate Heart of Mary convent in Monroe, Connecticut, in 1991, she had won a previous bout with cancer and was dealing with a heart problem. It was a recurrence of cancer that confined her to bed for the last six months of her life. Grateful for the attention and care she received, Sister patiently waited for God to call her home.
Our Mother Foundress wrote in her NOTES (see Journey with Her - page 62) as follows: “Remember never to separate your love of Jesus from your love of Mary. Whoever does not have a sincere devotion to the Blessed Virgin, has none toward Jesus.” Throughout her life Sister Miriam Fides gave witness to a strong devotion to and love for Mary. She desired so much to enter eternal life on one of Mary’s feasts. And so it happened that at 6:00 pm on November 5, 2004, while the Sisters and nursing staff around her bed prayed the Angelus, in that sacred space between First Friday and First Saturday, Sister Miriam Fides peacefully went home – To Jesus, through Mary. May she rest in peace.
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: February 2006