On November 7, 1900, Agatha, fourth in a family of seven girls and a boy, was born to Joseph and Catherine Kaufmann at Bilfingen, Baden, Germany. A very frail child, she gradually grew strong under the loving care of hard-working parents and a particularly devout mother. At the age of twelve Agatha made her First Holy Communion, and retained happy memories of this "heavenly day" all her life.

When Agatha was in her teens, she felt a strong call to the religious life from Jesus in the monstrance during Benediction at the close of a Mission in their parish. She kept this secret for some time, fearing she would not be believed. In 1923, when our Sr.M.Bernard Willman went to Germany to obtain postulants, she stayed at the Kaufmann home while visiting their parish. When she returned home, Agatha's sister Anna went with her. Two years later, Agatha decided to answer the call of God by following her sister to Clyde. Though the sacrifice of another daughter to go so far away was painful for her parents, they generously gave consent. Traveling with Elsa Schlitter (later Sr.M.Radegundis), Agatha reached Clyde on March 9, 1925, after two weeks on the ocean. To her disappointment she found that life at Clyde had proved too strenuous for her sister, and that she had decided to join the Franciscan Sisters of St. Mary in St. Louis, where she took the name of Sister Materna. However, Agatha joyfully embraced the religious life as a perpetual adorer and was invested with the Benedictine habit on February 13, 1926. Her first vows were offered on February 15, 1927, when she received the name of Sister M. Maura. (Years later, when the option was given, Sister resumed her baptismal name.)

In 1928, when our Mundelein convent was opened, Sister M. Agatha was sent there to help out for a while, along with a few other novitiate sisters. She returned to Clyde after fourteen months, and resumed her novitiate training. She made perpetual vows on February 21, 1932.

All of Sister's fifty-one years in the convent were spent at Clyde, with the exception of two brief periods at Mundelein. Her work assignments were for the most part in the 'Stitching Room' (Church Goods department) and the sacristy. She served in the latter capacity for a good many years, fulfilling her duties with reverence, care, love and great fidelity. Recognizing this assignment as a special privilege, she was ever conscious of her role of 'custodian’ of the Holy of Holies and all that pertained to it.

Sister M Agatha was among those who received the Consecration of Virgins at Clyde on November 16, 1952. On the feast of the Ascension, May 19, 1977, she had the joy of celebrating her Golden Jubilee (less than a year before her death).

Those who lived and worked with Sister noted many beautiful traits of character: a cheerful, joyful spirit, which found frequent expression in a radiant smile; a spirit of sacrifice, of generosity in sharing with others of gratitude, childlike simplicity, and charity. She had a wholehearted dedication to her vocation of perpetual adoration and the monastic life, coupled with a great love for our Congregation and for all the Sisters; she always retained a youthful spirit and an openness to change.

Sister enjoyed good health, despite a not too robust constitution. The morning of March 15, 1978 Sister slipped on a small patch of ice when going down to work, and sustained a broken left hip and wrist. She was recovering nicely at the hospital at Maryville, but remarked to Sisters who visited her that she would not be returning home. Sisters Marietta and Karen (Prioress and her Assistant) found her in very good spirits when they visited her on March 21st, and again on the 25th, which happened to be Holy Saturday that year. But soon after their departure, when the physical therapist came to work with her Sister complained of feeling faint. When put back to bed, she suffered a major seizure, from which the doctor and attendants tried in vain to revive her. Her soul had answered God’s call to share in the joy of Christ's resurrection on Easter day. The Easter Vigil Mass celebrated just before sunrise on Easter Sunday morning was offered for her, and the joyful liturgy of Easter Tuesday served as her funeral Mass. How truly blessed was she to receive the Divine call at such a time — a special recompense, it would seem, for her long and faithful service to our Divine Lord in His Eucharistic Sacrifice and Sacrament, and His abiding Presence on our altar.

A brief hand-written note found in Sister's Bible some time later - probably written at the close of a retreat - expressed her great gratitude to God for His manifold gifts to her throughout her life, and her sorrow for not having responded more generously to His grace. In a closing paragraph she wrote: "0 Jesus, as long as I live I shall never be able to thank you, my dear Savior, for your great love for me. I beg you most earnestly to help me to love you more than everything else in the world, for when one loves one cannot refuse sacrifice. I wish to live very close to Mary. She must help me never to lose sight of my goal..." The note was unsigned and not complete, but it gives the kernel of her spiritual aspirations. May she now enjoy the fruit of a life of intimate union with Jesus and Mary!