At a certain
point you say
to the woods, to the sea,
to the mountains,
the world,
Now I am ready.
Now I will stop and be wholly attentive.
You empty yourself and wait,
listening...
Annie Dillard
Sister Winifred Vickers, RSCJ - 10.06.1911 - 09.09.2006
Auckland
RSCJ, the Vickers family, Winifred's friends, Baradene College and the wider
community have had the most grace-filled opportunities to celebrate Winifred's wonderful
life and all she has meant to so many of us during her 95 years. We at Baradene
are privileged to have had Winnie resting in our prayer room after she so
peacefully passed away, up until the moment of her Requiem Mass.
During the Vigil Mass on Tuesday night there was an opportunity, for those who
wished, to share memories of Winnie and to remind her of just how loved she has
been. The following day
the Sophia Chapel was packed, once again, with loved ones she was leaving
behind.
The following was written by Sr Winifred in 2002 when she was asked to share
some of her memories with the ANZ Province.
Born in Taihape in 1911 into a family of eight children, I was the fourth girl of New Zealand parents. Educated by the Sisters of Mercy primarily, followed by Marlborough College and our Erskine College, Wellington, I began my religious training at Rose Bay, Sydney. Ten successive convents became my area of apostolate, both teaching and as bursar, ending with Baradene since 1994.
A couple of anecdotes from her earlier life illustrate Winifred’s spirit of adventure.
A small dare in the very early years at Rose Bay was the
highlight of one long Sunday. At the afternoon walk the Mistress of Novices told
two of us postulants to remove Nellie, the ancient horse, from the novices’
garden. The quickest method, to my way of thinking, was to mount the animal by
getting a leg up onto its back and riding it off. Fellow partner acted on the
suggestion and hoisted me into the air. “Not so!” neighed Nellie.
She broke into
an awkward gallop; kicking out her back hooves and helping me make a quick
descent. We then rejoined the group to the sound of an ominous silence!
Unfortunately my black dress was horse hair from the waist down. End of story.
It was in 1940 when the Noviceship moved to Burke Road, Melbourne. Strangely, two day scholars had left their bikes in the shed for the weekend. Arriving just before 11.40am I was so tempted by the sight that I succumbed to the temptation of a pleasant ride round the grounds. Then I heard the second bell and, in my hurry to dismount, I got my lack petticoat firmly fixed to the spokes of the chain regulating the pedals. Misery me! An aspirant, raising her eyes, came to my rescue. Arriving late with a tattered petticoat I awaited the sequence which can easily be guessed!
Those hard, but extremely happy days, are all part of my history.
Now, back among a group of eleven elderly Sisters in an institutional kind of
life, I find changes in the direction of a deeper prayer life, making sure I
take my turn to prepare once a week for community prayer. Then, being very aware
of the needs of others with whom I live, including teachers, domestic staff,
carers, students and, most important of all, my own community “to radiate Him
and to spend one’s substance, drop by drop, for His glory” is a means of
remembering them.
My prayer partner sends me S.O.S’s at time, between our meetings. A pink note
read “You are not forgotten, but school life (as a Maths Teacher) has been very
busy this term. At the weekend I am helping with an Alpha group in the parish.
Please keep it, and my pupils and family in your prayers. God bless you and your
needs.
Deirdre B
An alumna member of Remuera Catholic Women’s League asks for urgent prayers for her husband, whilst offering to drive me home; others from University of the Third Age do likewise.
By helping with special reading in the school I find many opportunities to help other cultures to celebrate their diversity. Classes in Spanish, once a fortnight, consist not only in memorising, exceptions to gender, number, persons of nouns, verbs etc., but to a delightful introduction to the culture, the formation of, and infiltrations to, the language, such as Moorish words beginning with Al- algebra, alchemy etc., the music, art, food and customs. Our charming Chilean-born teacher begins with relaxation exercises to the sound of stimulating music. Mid-break consists of a welcome cup of tea and more physical exercises.
Last, but not least of my loves, AMDG, is the weekly class to two Chinese adults, one Indonesian and one Korean, all at different stages, their ability to laugh at their mutual mistakes, the redeeming feature of the one and a half hours. There, too, I learn so much useful information of life beyond New Zealand.
Wherefore, that my account may end where it begun, my long life is still “full of sap, still green”, enabling me to attend weekly meetings of our three Communities, which help us to walk along new paths of knowledge of current events, both in the Church and in the world. Stimulant to prayer also, are our local community’s gatherings to become updated in readings from data collected from e-mails, periodicals etc. So we strive to bloom where we are planted in a new life pattern, of vibrant liturgical depthing, of knowledge, widening horizons to the needs of a world awaiting renewal of every kind.
Written by Sr Winifred in
2002