Sister Mary Lucia
You may remember the tragic story of Peter Schmitt: “The $2 Murder.”
Peter’s mother, Maria Theresia Mehling Schmitt, was a relative from Gary’s father’s side of the family. (Even though Mehling was Gary’s mom’s maiden name.)
I can just hear Gary’s Mehling cousins in chorus: “Prove it!” That is what all the online genealogy classes I take preach, too. Not to mention my journalism professors in college.
And so, courtesy Ancestry.com:
Now that we’ve got that established, let’s learn a bit about Peter’s sister Maria Catharina Schmitt.
She was born on her family’s farm a few miles outside of Ferdinand on October 26, 1874, the second of nine children.
Catharina entered religious life on May 1, 1902 at the age of 28. But first, her parish priest had to submit the following:
Catharina chose Sister Mary Lucia as her religious name. She professed her temporary vows on August 4, 1904 and perpetual vows eight years later.
For nearly two decades, Sister Lucia taught at “mission schools.” Not in a far-away land, but in Indiana schools, such as Assumption School in Indianapolis. She also taught children in the towns of Starlight, Mt. Vernon, and Dale, Indiana.
Sadly, tuberculosis once again took a victim. Sister Lucia was only 49 when she passed away on February 9, 1924, following several years of ill health.
Her death was announced, as was tradition at the time, by the tolling of bells at the convent church.
Sister Lucia’s obituary in the Ferdinand News praised her: “ … she worked earnestly in behalf of the parish and won for herself the love of the children and good will of the people.”
Continuing: “She suffered much but with her peaceful, gentle disposition preserved her cheerfulness to the last. She met death fully resigned and fortified by the last Sacraments and daily reception of the holy Communion.”
There was even praise for this private moment: “Without even a moan or distortion of her features, her soul passed to the realms beyond, where, as we may hope, she is now enjoying the reward of a life spent in God’s holy service.”
Sister Lucia is buried in the Sisters’ cemetery located on the grounds of the convent, now called the Monastery Immaculate Conception.
May she rest in peace and know that she is remembered.
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