Sister Marie-Celine, MICM
Saint Josephine bakhita: Convent Military Hospital
D
uring the years of 1915–1918 Bakhita’s work changed from her normal routine of serving Sisters, students, and orphans, and working in the sacristy. The First World War was in full force, and the town of Schio was designated a base for military operations. In a rather unusual decision, part of the Sister’s convent was turned into a military hospital for wounded soldiers. Bakhita, aside from preparing food for the soldiers, would work alongside the nurses providing any care she could. Since it was uncommon in North Italy to see an African, Mother Genoveffa recalls, “It was not a rare sight to have officers and soldiers standing around the Little Brown Mother, all wanting to hear her story. Bakhita, equipped with Mother Superior’s permission, and with a simplicity that was all her own, narrated in her ungrammatical language the adventures and facts that she always attributed to the Good God, Who guided her with a special love to become His spouse. Who paid attention to her grammatical mistakes? Who laughed? Nobody. All of them were filled with admiration and compassion for that innocent one who had suffered so much and who appeared in their eyes to be an extraordinary being.”
Bakhita’s service among the soldiers did not stop at just storytelling. She would tell them about God and the truths of the Faith in an effort to help them spiritually. However, she did not tolerate bad talk or foul language! “And the reprimands she would give if she heard someone cursing? It did not matter,” said Mother Genoveffa, “if it came out of the mouth of a simple foot soldier or an officer, she would give them a warning and then make a point of exhorting and enlightening them about eternal truths until the guilty party promised to make amends
and wanted to regain God’s grace.”
With the same care and attention of her other duties, Bakhita would visit and console the soldiers, or try to alleviate their pain any way that she could. Many of the soldiers remembered her kindnesses toward them and would keep in contact years after.
Portress
In 1922, after overcoming a bad case of pneumonia, during which she almost died, Bakhita was assigned to the less stressful and strenuous task of portress. Resigning herself to whatever Paron wanted, she put her whole heart and soul into her new position. It was her responsibility now to welcome people, representing the Community to all those who knocked at its door, answering with Christlike charity and generosity.
Just like at the Institute however, it took a while for people to get used to her. Visitors, school children, and even delivery men would be surprised to find an African sister at the door, and at times would run away terrified or screaming in fright. After overcoming their initial fear, they soon found that their “Moretta” was one of the sweetest souls who had the kindest heart and the warmest smile. Bakhita was very careful and prudent in her job, and she always made sure that anyone who visited, even if just for a short time, left inspired and happy. She would give what advice she could, with no fear of giving charitable corrections to visitors, if necessary, especially with regard to modesty.
In everything she did she was obedient to her superiors, kind to her fellow Sisters, and she was never resentful even when scolded or provoked. One might call it almost superhuman, or worthy of envy, the fact that she had very few visible faults, if any. Yet she had a human heart which felt the sting of a hurtful remark or a misunderstanding. Though docile and calm by nature, Bakhita was not immune to Saint Josephine Bakhita 17 temptations and weaknesses. She had her share of spiritual crosses.
“The saints all passed through many temptations and trials to profit by them”
On account of our fallen nature as sons and daughters of Adam, there is within us a natural tendency toward passion and concupiscence.“The saints all passed through many temptations and trials to profit by them,” states the Imitation of Christ, “while those who could not resist became reprobate and fell away. There is no state so holy, no place so secret that temptations and trials will not come.”
One day she was asked by a Sister, “Mother Moretta, do you never feel passions?” “Well, yes, I do feel them. But when nature wants something, I tell it ‘Be good and for the moment be happy with what you’ve got…’ and then I just carry on. Gradually my desires subside, I unite myself to the Lord and Our Lady and I no longer listen to nature.”
Yet another time the Sisters, driven by simple curiosity, would question her, “Don’t you feel anything? You never complain.” Bakhita would say, “I do, I do feel; I’m alive! It’s the dead who can’t feel, but I offer it all up to the Lord.”
It was this prayerful reliance on God that helped her persevere throughout her religious life and live every day as if it were her last on earth.
Tale of Wonder
In 1927, Bakhita made her perpetual vows in Venice. Two years later, Father Francesco Colombo, director of the Canossian Magazine at the time, was making a retreat and happened to notice Bakhita at a distance. Surprised to see an African Sister, he inquired among the other Sisters what her story was. He was thoroughly intrigued and set on fire to spread her story for others to appreciate and show the glory of God. He asked, “Why not reveal a glimpse of this divine goodness? Why not give us, timid and weak followers of the Gospel as we are, an account which might spur us on to generous sacrifice, to a more fervent part in the apostolate for our sanctification and for the spreading of the Kingdom of God: an account which sears the soul as the very facts speak so eloquently?”
So began the idea for a book recounting Bakhita’s life story. The superior general consented to the suggestion, and Ida Zanolini, a lay Canossian and elementary school teacher, accepted the proposal. Ida began writing by gathering what information she could, but she soon realized that there just was not enough to put a book together. So, she asked for an interview with Bakhita.
A person of deep humility, Bakhita did not like being in the spotlight, and if it were not for her superiors, she would not have told her story on her own accord. “Just order me,” was the phrase she used to show her obedience, although she knew the interview would bring back very painful memories.
On November 1, 1930, Ida met Bakhita for the first time. The questioning began and as Ida relates, “I noticed the trouble she had in expressing herself. But more than that, I saw the cost to her of recounting the painfully tragic events of her life. Sometimes her voice was choked by grief, especially when she remembered her loved ones. Sometimes she would tremble as she recalled the horrors of slavery.” For three days the two discussed the events of Bakhita’s life, and even visited places, such as the Institute, where her life as a Catholic began. “I will never forget those hours of grief I underwent as I listened to what had happened to her…but my most vivid impression will always be that of being in the company of an exceptional soul, of a saint.” After this brief period of interview, Ida Zanolini began to piece together and publish her work in installments for the Canossian Magazine. By 1931, she had published everything in a book titled Storia Meravigliosa [Tale of Wonder]. The book practically became a best-seller! People who read Bakhita’s story came from all over Italy to see her and talk with her.
Once again Bakhita wanted to hide herself from any attention, but she received these visitors with humble Christian charity, prompted by her superiors to show the goodness of God. She would say jokingly, “Here I am; I’m a rare beast!…if they knew me well though, they would not take even a step to come and see me.”