Several weeks ago, Sister Marge Kulage, M.M., died. I was with Sister Marge.  She was 107 years old.

Shortly before her gentle departure from this world, I said the words of our vow form to help her renew her promise of faithfulness to God, hoping she could still hear. With a few other Sisters, we sang the Salve Regina. Later a larger number of Sisters came to her bedside when they heard of her death. I’m filled with the wonder of life…the Mystery of Life.

With each person’s opportunity to live, we choose how we want to live.  Marge chose to give herself wholeheartedly to continuing the mission of Jesus as a Maryknoll Sister.

I knew her best from her work in the Philippines, where I, too, had the privilege of working. Her enthusiasm and joy of living was catching.  We know that in death, “life is changed, not taken away,” so we rejoice with Sister Marge on the gift of eternal life.

May all of us grow in our appreciation of the gift of life, that will lead us into eternal life.

—  Sister Virgeen Healey, MM