Rose Gertrude (Sr. Mary Wilfrid) Cerny

  General Notes:

Sister Mary Wilfrid, O.S.F. entered the convent October 2, 1920 and was received on June 21, 1921. She took her vows on August 15, 1923 at Holy Family Convent in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Her perpetual vows were taken on August 15, 1929. Sister Mary Wilfrid died 26 Nov 1993 in Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc, WI. and was buried at the Holy Family Cemetery in Manitowoc, WI.

Part of the homily at the funeral mass of Sister Mary Wilfrid:
Father Samuel Jadin, O. Praem.
Sister Mary Wilfrid lived to be 97 years old. This was probably one of the best kept secrets of the house. I would never have guessed it. Many in the house were surprised when they heard her age.

Sister Mary Wilfrid was a quiet person. As she lived, so she died quietly. She also died unexpectedly. Although she was failing for some time, her death was still a surprise.

Although Sister was a quiet person, she still had a sense of humor. She loved parties, even to the end. She enjoyed her Birthday Party on the 31st of October, i.e., just a few weeks ago.

Although Sister Mary Wilfrid did not express herself outwardly very much anymore, she could still hear very well. She appreciated very much those who spent time with her and communicated with her. Although her external expressions were minimal, there was still an active internal life going on. With the help of others, she still kept up quite a correspondence, especially with her family. A relative even continued to correspond every week, writing at least a little note.

Sister spent many years teaching. Several of her pupils became priests and sisters. Two of the priests were still corresponding with her. It is said that Mary Wilfred was a woman of principle. This probably came out very strongly during her teaching years. She was a good teacher and her classes were always prepared. She taught mostly lower grades and the little kids loved her and she loved them.

She was a woman of principle. I wonder if she didn't get that from home. She came from a pioneering family, living on the border between South Dakota and Nebraska. You can imagine that at the turn of the century, when she was a little girl, this was real pioneering. They even lived in a sod house. She came to know the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity through a relative.

Several have mentioned that Sister was a lovely person to live with. She had a precious smile. This was true at the end when she no longer talked very much.

She had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Little Flower. She also had some favorite lines. One was: "Being present and sharing ourselves is a part of God's call to be loving people." Another was: "The yearning for love of the human soul, only God can fill."