Wake Reflection – Sister Mary Magdalene Buergler
d. August 6, 2022
By Sister Susan Hutchens, Prioress
As I prayed and thought about this eulogy for Sister Maggie, I began to understand, perhaps, why Maggie chose this reading from 1 Kings. The Gospel reading came to me as a perfect fit for her after reading all of her past history. I was grateful that Sister Maggie had everything in good order for this funeral – she was very well-prepared on paper, and I think in life too, for her day of Resurrection.
Throughout her life, Maggie was also prepared well for her ministries and for the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. Other than Mother Ottilia, Sister Maggie may be the only Sister we know in our community who lived in three different monasteries throughout her life: St. Scholastica Monastery, Ft. Smith AR, Our Lady of Peace Monastery, Columbia, MO, and here at St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, IL. I am certain that was never on her wavelength when she first entered at Ft. Smith in 1951.
God’s plans are not always our own as we all know. Elijah knew that he was trying his best to do what God asked of him, and yet here he was fleeing for his life. What a turn around! But rather than sympathize with him, God told him to look around as God was passing by. The only instruction God gave him, was to “stand on the mountain in front of the cave.” Elijah learned to listen for God while he stood there, until he heard that small whispering sound. I think Maggie liked this reading because she too knew the meaning of listening for God every day. In Scripture we know, and we heard again last Saturday on the Feast of the Transfiguration, that the mountain is the place where we meet God. Elijah was asked: “Why are you here?”
I thought maybe Sister Maggie asked that of herself, each time she moved to a different home. How might we answer that question? We know how she did. She answered “Yes” to what was being asked of her.
Our Gospel reading this evening about Jesus receiving the children stated: “the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” How well she knew that! Many years of her ministry were spent in receiving the “Little ones” of God – in age, innocence, and abilities. She loved them all, and from what I read, they knew it.
Mary Frances Buergler was the last of 5 children, and the only girl, born to Martin and Frances Leding Buergler in Ft. Smith, AR on July 9, 1936. She was given her mother’s name Frances and received her grandmother’s name, Magdalene when she became a Sister.
Mary Frances attended Catholic elementary and high schools taught by the Benedictine Sisters from St. Scholastica Monastery in Ft. Smith. All four of her brothers eventually entered the Benedictine order. Herman became Fr. Luke, Martin became Abbot Boniface, and Richard became Fr. Ben. Ben eventually left and married as did Bede. Ben has since died. She is survived by her brother Bede, her sister-in-law Maryanne, and her sister-in-law Betty – Ben’s wife.
Maggie entered St. Scholastica Monastery in Ft. Smith in 1951 just after her 16th birthday! She finished high school as a candidate. She made her 1st profession in 1955 and her final profession in 1958. Like so many Sisters at that time, including some of you, she was sent out to teach elementary school long before she received a degree. She loved it. She taught grades 1-6 and preschool in AR and MO for a total of 27 years!
During that time she completed her education. She earned a BA from Incarnate Word College, San Antonio, TX in Elem. Education; an MA in Special Education from Cardinal Stritch College, Milwaukee, WI; and an MA in Pastoral Ministry with a minor in Counseling from Seattle University.
It was not only the youngest children with whom she worked, who by their own statements seemed to love her, but so did the administrators. One wrote: Sister Maggie related well to the children and the staff. Her programming was innovative and creative, and she was always in search of ways to do things that would appeal to the interests of the children.”
Maggie spent 2 years at The Benedictine School in Ridgely Maryland. There she not only taught primary grades, but also was a dorm mother to thirteen mentally challenged boys! Can you imagine? This is what the Director wrote:
“In that capacity (as dorm mother) Sister demonstrated a profound knowledge of handicapped children. She was kind but firm, sensitive to the needs of her young charges, but not overextending that sensitivity. Sister had time to listen to their 1001 complaints and always managed to settle their many disturbances. And she was conscious of their appearance – they were well-dressed and clean.” (Keep in mind these were young boys!!)
She continued her work with special needs children in MO and received excellent evaluations. And we know that she served on the SPEC board, and volunteered with the group here, from 2013-2014,
In 1969 the Ft. Smith community was asked by the bishop of Jefferson City, MO to send sisters to his diocese to establish a new foundation there. Maggie was asked and chose to help establish this new monastery, which came to be known as Our Lady of Peace, in Columbia, MO. There Sister Maggie did pastoral ministry in parishes and was the coordinator of the Retreat Center at the monastery. She later did elder care.
In 2008 her monastery realized that with only 7 left they could no longer continue as a community. Maggie described that time as a struggle with the pain of “letting go” again – leaving friends, and family behind and starting over. She wrote that her constant prayer was what we say every day, “O God come to my assistance. Lord make haste to help me!” In 2010 she came to visit us. One of her brothers’ friends knew of us and suggested she come and look.
Some of us remember when she first came. She said she knew within a short time that she liked the community, partly because - as she told Sister Phyllis: She could live here, because we seemed real – she said that after she heard two sisters who were close friends arguing in the hallway! She noted that she felt accepted, she liked our prayer, and she felt “at home.”
After 3 months of residency, she began the transfer period in October 2010. In July of 2011, she requested permanent transfer. In her request, she noted that the word “Listen” had become ever more deeply her motto during this period of discernment.” She was never far from that mountain experience. Sister Maggie officially transferred her stability to our monastery at Vespers on October 29, 2011.
Maggie loved participating in the Christmas “skits” – even when taking the silliest part. She enjoyed Halloween immensely, the costumes and the parties. She was part of the Formation Community for a while. In the fall of 2014 Sister Maggie became ill and moved to the Health Care Floor. Although she often was silent, and tearful, there were also times when she knew who we were, and she was grateful. So often she said to me: “please pray for me.” I assured her that I did, and that I needed her prayers too.
She was anxious to meet God on the mountain, and to hear God passing by with a whisper as Elijah did. Now we know she has heard that voice – her listening here is over – and her joy in heaven has finally begun. We rejoice with her!