[Culturechat] A Swiss Nun Story

Wed, 05 Nov 2003 20:51:38 +0100

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<div align="left">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Last Saturday, I went to a full day English
teachers workshop in Z&uuml;rich. &nbsp;It was a long day but well worth it.
When I arrived back in Sachseln, on the train, around 7 PM, &nbsp;I noticed a
very young looking nun, dressed in a full habit, disembarking with a medium 
sized suitcase on rollers. &nbsp;I had my car at the station so walked the short 
distance to where it was parked. As &nbsp;I pulled away from the station, I saw 
the sister again looking quite lost. &nbsp;So I rolled down the window on &nbsp;the 
passenger side and asked her, in my all too imperfect German, if I could help
her or give her a ride. &nbsp;She said some other sisters were
supposed to meet her train but didn't show up. I am not accustomed
to offering rides to "strangers," but it seemed like the most natural thing
to do in this situation. 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I must look very honest because she very quickly put her suitcase 
in the back seat, got into the car and said she was going to Fl&uuml;ehli-Ranft, 
the birthplace of Switzerland's patron saint, Bruder Klaus. &nbsp;It turns out
she had traveled that day from her Sisters of the Holy Cross house in Innsbruck
Austria, planned to spend the night at their convent in Fl&uuml;ehli,
and head out the next morning, by car with some other sisters to go to Fatima
Portugal for a week. &nbsp;I could understand enough of her German to&nbsp; "feel"
her excitement about the trip. &nbsp;Having been educated in Catholic schools,
I remembered having heard the stories of&nbsp; Fatima, where in 1918 ,the Blessed
Mother is said to have appeared 6 times to a group of school children. 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; We drove the short 10 minute ride "chatting" about the miracle at Fatima
and how, after all these years, the world has still not achieved peace.&nbsp;
It was unclear if she knew any English, since we only spoke in German. &nbsp;This
young woman, who couldn't have been more than about 22, was truly beautiful,
both inside and out. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When we arrived at the convent, I got the biggest smile and thank you
imaginable. &nbsp;She shook my hand, thanked me and, in perfect English, said
"God Bless You. &nbsp;I will say a prayer for you at Fatima." 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I have felt blessed ever since and am glad to have had this encounter.&nbsp;
&nbsp;It was just one of those special moments, never to be repeated. &nbsp;Sadly however,
I don't even know her name. 
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