Personal Reflection about Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk

            Ever since I enrolled in Holy Spirit School, the CLE teachers have been teaching us about the Founder and the Foundresses . Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk has really inspired me until now. When she was young, she had desired to serve God. By the grace of God and a good upbringing by her truly Christian parents, she led a very religious life as a young girl. She wanted to join the missionary works but she had to face all the struggles before she had the permission from her parents to enter a mission congregation. I can see that Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk was really brave and faithful to God because she didn't give up becoming part of the missionary congregation and I also admire her and Blessed Josepha Stenmans for being brave to cross the sea just to go to Saint Arnold Janssen.

            I also admire Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk, who showed great concern for the poor and suffering whom she visited with her mother. She always had time for the poor and she had always shown care for them, and I really like those people who do that. The characteristics that I really like about her are being a motherly and cheerful nature, and being kind and a healing compassion. Blessed Maria Helena always managed to find the sick and needy, and people turned to her for help and advice in all their problems. Without her being aware of it, God was developing the character and talents she would need for her future tasks.

            She said, “I long to give my love and my whole life to the service of spreading the Gospel.” I like this quote that she once said because it always reminds me of preaching the Good news of the Lord. She was really faithful to God that she didn't ever forget to preach and be kind to other people especially the poor. So for me, there is nothing wrong with helping the poor as long as you have a good intention about it. Just by giving your extra money to the poor can mean so much to them. There are some people who can’t find food to eat or don’t have a room to live. We should be all aware of them and help unconditionally. We should involve ourselves and do our best in these kinds of drive.