History of SMR: Emilie’s Last Four Years of Life-Part 2
Emilie’s last days
It was decided that her son Adrian would go to Rome to pick her up and bring her to his mansion in Florence where she could rest for a few days. After which he would accompany her to Belgium.
Her new secretary, Marie de St. Norbert, fell very ill the day prior to their departure. Therefore, Emilie left Rome accompanied by Sr. M. de la Bienheureuse Victoire Fornari (“Sœur Victoire”), a very beloved companion, who for several years had accompanied her in her travels.
We don’t know exactly how Emilie spent her time during the first two months in her mansion hermitage as she prepared to die. We do know that she continued to answer letters and to receive a few visitors.
The constant messages that she received from Fr. Semenenko made her suffer but did not change her determination to be faithful to her promise to the General Council. She wrote in her journal, “The Lord has changed my needs in such a way that I don’t need a spiritual director like Fr. Semenenko.”
She wrote the following to Fr. Semenenko, “I go on my way, without a word, without demands. It is not that I don’t want to tell you anything. I would talk to you if I met you, like anybody else, believing what you said, but it all ends there. Our Lord has changed his ways with me, and I am happy.”
Emilie did not want to go back to Rome and didn’t want to spend any more time in Adrian’s home. She tried to go to daily Mass for as long as she could at the nearby parish but on the 18th of February, she couldn’t do it anymore. That same day she asked one of the General Counselors, Marie de l’Eucharistie, to come to Florence. Her caring son Adrian asked the Jesuits to celebrate daily Mass in his house, since his mother had the authorization for that to happen.
M. Marie de l’Eucharistie arrived on the morning of the 20th she immediately realized that Emilie’s death was imminent; she asked the parish priest to give her the Last Sacraments. Emilie agreed. The paralysis advanced and it was necessary to administer the last sacraments on the night of the 20th. Fr. Pizzicaria, SJ, had already heard her confession. On the 21st Emilie received the Apostolic benediction of Pope Leo XIII. On the evening of that day, Emilie appeared to lose consciousness, but Fr. Pizzicaria remained until the end – that is until the 22nd near 11am.
Emilie was 59 years, 4 months and 11 days old.
The sisters had heard Emilie say in the past, “I shall go working until my sixtieth year.”
Every time I read or write about the last months of Emilie’s life my heart breaks. She, who had given everything to the Congregation, died in her son’s house with only her faithful companion Sr. M. of the Blessed Victoire Fornari and one of the General Councilors who came only the day before Emilie’s death, she might not even have been aware of her presence.
Emilie’s wake had been arranged to take place on February 25th.
Adrian, Baron d’Hooghvorst, had made arrangements to have the funeral in a way becoming to Emilie’s worldly rank. Baron Edmond d’Hooghvorst did not arrive from Belgium until the 23rd. Without a trace of human respect, he asked forgiveness from her in front of everybody.
Word spread throughout the city that a servant of God had died, the crowd became so great that guards had to be stationed at the gates of the mansion. It was the custom in Florence for the Brotherhood of Mercy to attend the wake of the dead during the night.
Emilie’s remains had been enclosed in a wooden coffin with an opening over the face glassed over. On the 24th at 7pm the clergy came for the removal of the body. The entire quay and the whole bridge of the “Santisima Trinita” were full of people. A procession of friends followed the coffin carried by men on the way to the church of the Holy Trinity. Penitentes in gray clothing and with black hats hanging down their backs also accompanied the coffin. Every mourner carried a lit torch. It was arranged that the two Reparatrix sisters should walk close to the coffin and head the procession.
The solemn service took place the next morning at 10:30 celebrated by Father Rubillon SJ, Assistant for France. After the absolution the crowd withdrew. The coffin was let down into the vault of the church and enclosed inside two other coffins, one of them made of lead and the other of walnut. In the leaden coffin there was an opening covered with glass and the wooden had a small door with lock and key.
The coffin remained in the crypt of the church of the Santissima Trinita until March 10th. On the 10th Emilie’s remains were transferred to Rome where they were brought to Campo Verano, the cemetery of Rome, where Emilie’s sons had ordered that a small chapel be built for Emilie’s remains as well as for other SMRs.
Sr. Mary Piancone, General Superior, had Emilie’s remains transferred to a place of honor built for this purpose during the 1980’s in the Church of Santa Croce, via de Lucchesi, Rome, the central house of the Congregation.
May we all treasure the sad and beautiful conclusion to Blessed Emilie’s life and learn from it.
Concepción González Cánovas, smr, author
Veronica Blake, smr, editor and photo assistant
Sources:
Présentation Historique de la Société de Marie Réparatrice (1818-1953). Henri de Gensac, SJ. Rome, 1992.
The Life of Mother Mary of Jesus. Emilia d’Oultremont, Baroness d’Hooghvorst, 1818-1878; Rev Peter Suau, SJ; English version, Rev. David Gallery, SJ; 1913