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Sr Mary Alberta Schreiner OP |
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August 13, 1905 – September 24, 2004 By Elaine Osborne OP “God’s kingdom of love and justice and peace and freedom awaits you,” said Sister Irene Hartman in the homily at Sister Alberta’s wake. “A new heavenly mansion can now be changed for your earthly tent. You are ready and your lamps are lit. You are dressed for the eternal banquet.” After being so long in such a quiet world of very little sight and hearing, the “Alleluia!” and the “Welcome home!” and the heavenly scene must have thrilled her arrival in heaven. Sister Alberta outlived all her siblings including her Dominican Sisters Alfonsa, Frances, and Damian, She attributed the vitality of her later years to her miles and miles of swimming and walking. Besides a good physical condition, Sister Alberta could boast of a phenomenal ministerial life. Her teaching years began in elementary schools when she was a novice and continued into college teaching and then tutoring GED students and substitute teaching in her later years. She served the Community as archival and secretarial assistant and as registrar. She also volunteered in the many community life ministries that are always a part of life at the motherhouse. Sister Alberta will be remembered as a record maker and a record breaker. She was entering her 100th year. She had celebrated 80 years of religious profession. She had many trophies which reminded her of her achievements in walking and swimming. She had a long and full life of teaching and community service. She lived the passage from Ecclesiastes about a time for everything under heaven – she had her time to be born, a time to teach in ten elementary schools and be a principal, a time to swim, a time to collect Peanuts cartoons, a time to study and pursue degrees, a time to pray and reflect, a time to peel apples and help with community mailings … and ultimately a time to die. Sister Mary Alberta shared with us her many gifts during her lifetime and we believe that now, as she leaves us for Paradise, the angels have come to welcome her home to the Beloved to whom she gave her life. |
