Remembering Mother Martha von Bunning | 1824 – June 13, 1868
In recognition of the 170 years since the Hamilton foundation, I was asked to reflect on why Mother Martha is so significant to the Hamilton sisters. Her story is poignant and instructive, and its meaning is still unfolding. Her story as a Sister of St. Joseph reflects the pascal mystery of death and resurrection. Martha followed in the footsteps of Jesus who died an apparent failure.
We first heard Martha’s story following Vatican 11 when Rome directed all religious congregations to revisit their founding charism. On hearing Martha’s story for the first time there was initial shock, surprise and a sense of embarrassment which gave way to anger/resentment. Remember this was an era of awakening for women containing new truths and insights. We symbolized our support of Martha by the removal of a large picture of the first Bishop of Hamilton, Bishop Farrell, which had been hanging prominently in the Mother House and gifted it to the Chancery Office where it now hangs in the Diocesan library named after him. A more appropriate home for His Grace.
Martha was born in Germany, emigrated to the USA, and entered the Congregation in 1845 at the age of 21. She was missioned from St. Louis Missouri to Toronto and from there to Hamilton in 1852. At 28 Martha was named the superior of the Hamilton community. Martha understood that love is expressed in service of the dear neighbour and readily accepted the challenge of caring for the typhus and cholera victims of arriving immigrants but at a cost of the lives of the sisters. Ten years into the foundation, in 1862, unjustly accused Martha was banished from the community by the Bishop. This resilient and humble woman made a second attempt at reconciliation in 1868 even though her health was failing but was again denied a meeting with the Bishop and made her way to Toronto, walking all the way. The archives are silent on this detail, however, she was warmly received by the Toronto community and died 9 days later.
I said earlier Martha’s story is instructive. She was courageous in responding to unmet needs, resilient in the face of adversity, humble and forgiving in the dark night of unjust condemnation, and uncompromising in living the charism of unity and reconciliation. It seems to me that Martha’s short life reflects our own congregation’s Chapter Statement: Moving with Love and embracing each moment of possibility as a graced path to Transformation. Amen.
-Sister Ann Marshall, csj
Sister Mary reflects below on Sister Ann’s words and the words of Mother Martha herself:
Thank you, Ann. You have expressed very beautifully exactly why we honour Mother Martha today: I quote: “courageous in responding to unmet needs, resilient in the face of adversity, humble and forgiving in the dark night of unjust condemnation, uncompromising in living the charism of unity and reconciliation.”
What more is there to say? I was asked to speak about why all of us, not just Hamilton, honour this woman today. Well, I was having trouble coming up with anything to add to Ann’s wonderful words. So, I asked Mother Martha what I should say, and here is what that very humble woman had to say to me and to all of us:
“My dear Sisters, please don’t celebrate me because of the one very painful experience I had. Rather celebrate the amazing love and providence of God, acting in each moment of our lives to shape and transform us into the image of Jesus. If you must honour me, then do so for God’s action in the ordinary life I lived before that painful time: the many times I moved to new places when I was sent, the way I did my best to adjust and give myself to the ministries that presented themselves: caring for orphans, and immigrants, teaching, care of typhoid and cholera victims, and, of course, leadership. It was God’s grace in my daily life in the years before that shaped within me the strength, resilience, courage and reconciling heart that ultimately allowed me to get through that last and most painful experience. Sisters, this is what each of us does each day. In faith we see all that happens in our lives as allowed by the loving Providence of God, and somehow meant to shape us. It is that day- b-y day fidelity in the small moments and little sufferings of our lives that deepens the well within us, allowing it to be filled, drop by drop, with love for God, love for every kind of neighbour, love that gives itself in service, fidelity and humility that ultimately allows us to forgive and reconcile. Father Medaille urges us, in honour of the Holy Spirit, to become “All Love”. It is precisely in living our daily reality with love and faith that we are gradually transformed by “each moment of possibility” into the living image of Jesus in our life, our world, our reality today. So, dear Sisters, when you honour me, know that you are celebrating yourselves, as each of you is doing exactly what I did, trying to live each day and each moment as a graced moment of transformation into Christ.”
Mother Martha, pray that we may be faithful to this glorious call.
- Sister Mary Diesbourg, csj