Sister Maria Mônica    

Sister Maria Mônica                       ND 5154                        PDF Download

(formerly Sister Maria Claudete)

Monica KUMIECHICK

Holy Cross Province, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil

Date and Place of Birth:            April 22, 1935           Alpestre, District of Iraí, RS
Date and Place of Profession:  February 12, 1957     Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death:          July 30, 2023            Casa Betânia, Não-Me-Toque, RS
Date and Place of Burial:          July 31, 2023             Santa Cruz Cemetery, Passo Fundo, RS

For a third time, in the year in which we celebrate the 100^th Anniversary of the presence of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Brazil, God called a member of the Holy Cross Province home. In the silence of the night, Sister Maria Mônica said her definitive YES, grateful for the gift of her life and for her religious vocation.

“God loves me” was Sister Maria Mônica’s deep conviction throughout her religious life. This conviction made her a cheerful and joyful person, detached from material things. It was also a constant source of strength and encouragement in times of pain, difficulties, and disappointments.

Mônica was the oldest of seven children born to Pedro and Maria Kumiechick, farmers of Polish descent. She met the Sisters of Notre Dame in the city of Iraí, a meeting which awakened in her the desire to become a religious sister. However, as the eldest daughter, her help was needed in caring for her siblings. Nevertheless, her mother did not object to Mônica pursuing her vocation.

Sister had a cheerful and insightful spirit as well as being a person to whom it was easy to relate. She was a welcoming presence in the community and in the places of her ministry. Sister Maria Mônica always had a word of affection, encouragement, or sisterly correction, when necessary. As a prayerful person, dedicated to her own spiritual development, Sister took advantage of every opportunity for both personal and professional growth.

Sister M. Mônica had a Degree in Pedagogy and a specialization in Early Childhood Education in the Montessorian Methodology. Her kind and safe way of teaching earned her the esteem of parents, children, and other professionals in the field of education. In carrying out her educational mission, Sister creatively made use of materials present in nature to assist the children in the learning process and to develop in them a love and care for the environment.

In 1994, Sister retired from ministering in formal schools and devoted herself entirely to social work at the Santa Júlia Social Department in São Paulo. Her tireless efforts for the cause of the little and the needy inspired the local community, who spontaneously supported her ministry. In 2006, a group of friends and collaborators gave Sister the gift of a trip to the Holy Land, a dream come true and an unforgettable milestone in her religious and apostolic life.

Since 2021, Sister M. Mônica had been living in Casa Betânia to better attend to various health issues. The quote from Pope Francis “Looking back, rereading one’s own history and seeing there God´s faithful gift: not only in life´s grand moments, but also in our fragility and weaknesses…” (Homily on February 1, 2020) helped her to live with joy, to be a helpful and pleasant presence among the sisters.

Rest in peace, Sister Maria Mônica, and may the good God reward you for all the good you have done to God’s favorite ones, the little children.