Prepare yourselves, dear readers, for a story that will deeply touch your hearts. Picture a sanctuary meant for peace and solace turned into the center of an overwhelming tragedy. This devastating event unfolded at a Roman Catholic convent in Michigan, where thirteen devoted nuns fell victim to COVID-19. Yes, you read that correctly, thirteen lives lost in the midst of this pandemic. Let’s delve into this poignant tale, a stark reminder of the virus’s formidable impact.
These remarkable women, aged sixty-nine to ninety-nine, resided at the Felician Sisters convent in Livonia, Michigan. Among them were educators, writers, and even a former secretary at the Vatican Secretariat of State. Their contributions reverberated globally, magnifying the sorrow of their untimely deaths.
According to the Global Sisters Report, this marks the most significant loss of life among a community of religious women since the influenza pandemic of 1918, a historical echo that sends shivers down one’s spine. How did this happen? The close-knit communal living and advanced age of these nuns made them particularly vulnerable. Their daily lives of prayer, work, and companionship unwittingly provided the perfect environment for the virus to spread unchecked.
The inadvertent carriers were two aides who unknowingly brought the infection into the convent. Their arrival mirrors tragic outbreaks seen in nursing homes and similar settings. Once the virus infiltrated, it spread swiftly, claiming the lives of one sister every other day over the course of a month. Thirteen nuns perished, while eighteen others fell ill but thankfully recovered.
The sorrow deepened as the surviving sisters were unable to attend the funerals of their fallen companions due to infection risks and health protocols. The closure and solace of saying a final goodbye were denied to them, a heart-wrenching additional blow. In a particularly devastating span from April 10 to May 10, twelve nuns passed away. Just as the community began to grapple with their losses, another sister succumbed to the illness on June 27, prolonging their period of mourning.
Noel Marie Gabriel, overseeing clinical health services for the Felician Sisters of North America, described the overwhelming grief: “We couldn’t manage the magnitude of the loss, the anguish, the emotional toll. That month felt like an entire alternate reality, a time of tragedy, sorrow, mourning, and grief”. Words fail to capture the emotional upheaval experienced by this community.