Born to Eternal Life who departed this life on Monday, April 7, 2008 Funeral: Thursday, April 10, 2008, at 2:30 p.m. The words of David, quoted in the Acts of the Apostles, speak of Sister Mary Victor's life. I saw the Lord ever before me... my heart has been glad and my tongue has exulted; my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld… You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. (Acts 2: 25-28) Leaving her father and her sister, Victoria, Mary Spaeti chose to follow her call of discipleship, within the community of the Sisters of Divine Providence. As she understood this new way of life, her relationship to God deepened, her shared life with her sisters in community matured, and her generosity in serving those who needed her grew. I saw the Lord ever before me… Throughout her life, Sister Mary Victor was an educator. She loved her students, leading them to truth, to knowledge, and to the development of their own God-given gifts for Christian lives of service. After beginning her ministry in southwestern Pennsylvania, Sister Mary Victor spent some years touching the hearts and minds of poor children in Puerto Rico. Moving to New England, Sister Mary Victor had responsibilities as principal, superior, and, sometimes too, teacher, in several schools in Massachusetts and Connecticut. She ended her teaching ministry at Sacred Heart High in Kingston, MA, instructing students about the religions of the world and challenging them to live and serve others through lives of faith. Never actually retiring, in the last years of her life, Sister Mary Victor was a volunteer at the Sacred Heart High School library, where she was known and loved by both students and faculty. Called by her sisters to ministry within the community, Sister Mary Victor served in leadership, first in Massachusetts and then for ten years in Rome . A woman of openness and integrity, known for her no-nonsense approach to life, Sister Mary Victor was faithful to her vowed commitment and challenged her sisters to give their lives generously and compassionately to bring God's reign more fully to the world. Sister Mary Victor died as she had lived, giving faithful, loving service to others. The many visitors to her hospital room during her last illness gave witness to the extent of her connections to, and support for, others. Even in her final days she spoke openly and honestly to her visitors, offering each one words of comfort, encouragement, or wisdom, according to their need. She entrusted herself to God: my flesh, too, will dwell in hope, because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld… When asked how she would like to be remembered, she said how grateful she was that she had spent her life as a Sister of Divine Providence because, with her sisters, she had found a community of love. She lived in gratitude to God, because: You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. SMFF Feast Day: October 7
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