The Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the order this summer. The women serve at the chancery, archives, diocesan center, education technology office, St. Gianna Women’s Homes and the Nebraska Heart Hospital; and serve in parishes and schools in Lincoln, Holdrege, Tecumseh, Wahoo, Waverly, Springfield, Mo., and Benedictine College in Kansas.
By Sr. Bernadette Radek, M.S.
for the Register
The beginning history of the Marian Sisters is filled with as much suspense and intrigue as a mystery best-seller. Sister Theresa Gottvald and Sister Marta Silna were outspoken critics against the Communist regime back in 1950, and they knew it wouldn’t be long before they would be arrested in their home country of Czechoslovakia.
To ensure that their religious community (the Mercy Sisters of St. Francis in Brno, Czechoslovakia) survived the period of communist control, and to save their own lives, the Holy Spirt guided them to attempt to escape. However, their first plan to escape was not successful. One of the doctors who knew Sister Theresa – she served as a surgical nurse – informed her that the women’s plans to escape had been discovered, so further vigilance, time, and prayer were employed.
Then, on July 26, 1950, with the permission of their religious superior, the sisters escaped via the underground. The three days it took to reach safety were filled with many dangers: the train they took to get to the city of escape was always checked, but that night, for some reason, it was not.
During the sisters’ journey to freedom, they had to lie flat in tall grass as search lights went over them. Hand in hand they crossed a river, and Sister Theresa got caught in a whirlpool and had to be rescued. While crossing a border check in a cucumber truck, the Russian guard unexplainably decided not to look in the back of the truck. God’s Providence was obvious every step of the way!
The women reached a temporary safe haven in Austria July 29, 1950. However, this time of relative peace was followed by two years of separation when in 1951, Sister Marta was accepted into Canada but Sister Theresa was not, due to health reasons.
Before Sister Marta departed for Canada, a Benedictine Sister gave her a holy card picturing the trunk of a tree with a little girl praying near it and guarded by her Guardian Angel. The holy card was inscribed with the phrase written in German: “Alone, but not alone.” These few words were like a whisper of encouragement from God Himself.
Sister Theresa was eventually accepted to the United States with the help of Father Jan Smutny. She was able to put her nursing skills to use by helping to run the St. Thomas Orphanage in Lincoln. On December 18, 1953, Sister Marta arrived in Lincoln and the two Mercy Sisters of St. Francis were reunited. Little did they know that they were soon to become the co-foundresses of a new religious community, the Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln.
This year, the Marian Sisters are taking time to thank God for the blessing of their foundresses, Sister Theresa Gottvald and Sister Marta Silna. Their courage and faithfulness to the Lord have been true pillars of the community they founded. Eternal rest, grant to them, O Lord.
Courtesy photos
