Edification Letter

My dear Rev. Mother and all our Sisters,
It is with deep sorrow and heartfelt feelings I come to communicate the sad demise at our well beloved sister Maria Eugenia of the Cross on 2nd January 1991 at 10 a.m. surrounded by all of us. She was born in 1904 on 14th June in a very Catholic family of very pious parents who educated her as such. She had six sisters and two brothers. She was born in Sevilla (Spain) a very beautiful place of which our sister had nothing but praises. She used to tell us, “those who have not seen Sevilla has not seen anything beautiful." As soon as she got the religious vocation she communicated the desire to her mother. Her father had died when she was very young. But her mother opposed the idea of her daughter embracing the religious life as she had made arrangements for a suitable marriage for her. But our sister was adamant in her vocation. When she was of age she left her house all alone and went to the convent on 14th June 1929. Seeing her going alone her brother James accompanied her and left her in the convent of Uttrera of the Calced Carmelites. She took the habit on the 15th December 1929. Her mother was so enraged with her that she never went even to visit her. She did not go either for her vestition or for her 1st profession on 21st December 1930. For the solemn profession on 21st December 1933 she went and with that visit she was fully changed when God really touched her heart. She then made the resolution to become a religious after finishing all her motherly obligation towards her children, which she fulfilled to the very letter becoming a Discalced Carmelite and making her own house a convent of the same nuns.
Our sister followed her religious life peacefully and by the reading of the works of our holy parents was moved to embrace the life of a D1scalced Carmelite. Here also she had to pass great difficulties; overcoming everything she entered the convent of Discalced Carmelites in Cerro de los Angeles on 5th Dec. 1942 and from there came to India and joined our newly founded Carmel at Tiruvalla, Kerala on 3rd Dec. 1950.
It was her zeal for the mission that impelled her to leave her own country which 5he loved with delirium. She offered herself heart and soul to pray for the conversion of the pagans in the country of India. She was greatly interested in everything concerning the Church and conversion of souls. Her ardent desire to know about the current news about the Carmelite mission, the Church and especially about the Pope. In order to pray for the success of the missionary activities, was ever present all through her life. She was Sacristan several times during which time she enriched the Sacristy with her embroidery works. She embroidered chasuble, altar clothes, tabernacle veils etc.
By the year 1960 she had to be operated for cancer due to which she suffered all the rest of her life. Though Doctor gave her only five years of life, she survived till 1991. In 1979 on 13th August she had a fall and broke her hip bone. Another operation which made her almost impossible to walk about. But she was fully resigned to God's holly will and being of a optimistic nature suffered everything joyfully. Her right arm was fully swollen and could do nothing by herself. The infirmarians had to do almost everything for which she was very grateful. During the hot season she used to suffer terribly having her body full of boils like eruption. She used to say everything for the missions for which I am here etc. Thus she was pulling on spending the time in reciting rosaries as she could not do anything else. She was also greatly devoted to the Sacred Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. She lost her eye sight few years ago and it cost her a lot to leave off praying the Divine Office.
We celebrated her golden jubilee of her profession with much solemnity in 1980 and she was so very happy. We never thought that we will be able to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee as she was suffering much although she had much illusion. But our Lord allowed that also. Once when she was not feeling well in April 1990 we called the doctor and told him of her Diamond Jubilee in December 1990. Then the doctor told us if you want to celebrate, you can anticipate it as she may not survive till December. So we celebrated it on 14th June her 86th Birthday and she was very grateful for the same. By 21st December she was fully bedridden. So God granted all the desires of her heart as she had consecrated herself entirely for the mission and salvation of souls especially for the Pope and priests.
Our sister had much contact with her family as her nieces and nephews used to write very often all the news. They proved their love in its reality when just one year before her death nine of them came to visit her and spent one week here and enjoyed it very much. It happened that on 2nd January 1990 they left our convent and on the same day 2nd Jan. 1991 our good sister left us for heaven.
ln August 1990 suddenly she got very bad and she asked for the anointing of the sick. Our Chaplain Rev. Fr. Zacharias came at once and administered the anointing which she received with full conscience. From this time she was getting worse and several times Rev. Father Chaplain entered and prayed tor her and encouraged and prepared her for the last moment. One of these days His Ex. the Bishop Peter Thuruthikonath also came and visited her. She spoke to His Excellency for a long time as she was feeling much better on that day.
On December 24th at 4 p.m. She got very serious and asked for anointing which was given at once; Afterwards she was sinking little by little. All these days’ two sisters were watching her day and night. On 2nd January 1991 she seemed to be getting more conscience and she took a little coffee which she was not taking since three or four days. She was lying quite on the bed, the two infirmarians were with her. By 10 a. m. she opened her eyes and the infirmarian who was taking her pulse felt that the pulse was going down. We were called and we began to pray and while praying she closed her eyes, her soul flew away from us peacefully. She remained with an expression of joy and peace which gave us a great consolation. Soon she was prepared and laid in the choir for public. Many priests, religious and laity came to pray for her. His Ex. Mar Gheevarghese Timotheos came with many priests and prayed the Office for her as His Excellency could not come for the burial.
The funeral took place on 3rd January at 10 a.m. The requiem Mass was presided over by His Ex. Peter Thnurthikonath Bishop of Vijayapuram. Our Father Delegate General Rev. Fr. Paulinus and some other Fathers concelebrated with our Bishop and entered the enclosure for the burial.
Our heartful gratitude to all the Rev. Fathers and Sisters and all who cooperated with us in the functions of the day. Our very special gratitude to our Chaplain Rev. Fr. Zacharias O.C.D. who have been so very attentive towards all the spiritual needs of our dear sister during her situation as an invalid, encouraging and animating her to carry the cross of her illness in every way possible. So also Mr. & Mrs Dr. Thomas who was treating her from 1960 with all care and attention to the very end. Our sincere gratitude is due to all the good sisters of Regina Mundi who had been continually helping us in a thousand ways to the utmost of their power. Thought we hope in God that our dear sister is enjoying the reward of her well-meritted life of full 60 years of profession. We humbly beg all our mothers and sisters to apply all the sufferages according to our constitutions and whatever your generosity will inspire for the repose of her soul. Our dear sister who was so grateful for the least service done to her will certainly repay you all from heaven in great abundance.

With deepest sisterly love and gratitude.
I remain humbly yours in Jesus and Mary,
Teresa of Jesus
Prioress.

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