Dear Religious Family,

We would like to inform you that today, March 22 at 12:05 am in Italy, our dear Sister Maria del Corpus Domini has passed away.

This morning Fr. Tomás Tymchiy, IVE, celebrated Holy Mass in the corridor of Corpus’s room, where the community of the Monastery, Sister Maria Narek, participated with her, who assisted her as a nurse in her last days, her parents, and Mother María de Jesús Doliente. During Holy Mass Sr. Corpus was able to receive the Holy Eucharist. At the end of the Mass, the Father imparted to her the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, with the plenary indulgence. After this, the community prayed together with her the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy and while it was recited for the last time “For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” Corpus expired serenely.

Yesterday, March 21, Maria del Corpus Domini celebrated her silver wedding of religious consecration. For this reason the previous Sunday, March 19, we had in the Monastery a beautiful ceremony to thank God with her for this anniversary. Although Corpus could not be present in the Church, since she was already in a very painful and very weak state, she was able to participate in the Mass from her room with Skype connection. By this means she made her renewal of the formula of consecration, so that all the people who were in the Church could hear it. In addition to the religious, a large number of people joined the Monastery, who with great affection accompanied Corpus these days with their prayers. During the Holy Mass many people approached the Confession, something Corpus had wanted and prepared.

It was a beautiful feast in a spirit of great joy, which Corpus especially enjoyed, since she wished to celebrate the gift of perseverance in religious life with great joy. These last days that Corpus spent in the Monastery were a grace for all, especially for their community, since it was always very serene and happy despite the great pains and discomforts that increased day by day. It was very edifying above all to hear her speak with a naturalness of Heaven, Eternity, eternal weddings with the Lamb that awaits every spouse of Christ, her desire to go there soon, etc. She herself had asked to spend the last moments of her life in the Monastery, where she wanted to die, so the doctors had given her this opportunity, with special home assistance, noting that there was no more possibility for help in the hospital. She just wanted to pray and be in the company of the sisters and this was how she spent the last days, offering her sorrows for the Religious Family. In addition, she organized her funeral Mass, which, as a well prepared liturgy, prepared with great delicacy and care, even in the smallest detail.

We give thanks to God for having given María del Corpus Domini to our Religious Family, for her fidelity, perseverance, and for her exemplary death.  We pray that her soul is already enjoying the eternal Wedding Feast of the Lamb, as she so hoped.

We especially ask for prayers for the consolation of the parents and siblings of Corpus, who had also accompanied her with admirable closeness and resignation.

United in prayer,

M. Mary of the Sacred Heart

Vicar General