The death of Mother M. Dolorosa marked the end of a life and an era of fundamental importance to our Congregation. Living out of the 19th century and far into the 20th, Mother herself was a part of our tradition, having entered the Clyde community only twenty-three years after its founding from Maria Rickenbach.

Margaret Mergen was born in Tipton, Kansas on Apr. 15, 1879, one of fourteen children, some of whom were half-sisters and brothers, as her father married a second time after the death of his first wife. Two of the latter were Cecilia and Mary, later our Sisters M. Hildelita and Scholastica. Father Frowin, a monk of Conception Abbey, was her full brother, and one of the earliest inspirations of Margaret's vocation. After describing life at Conception in a letter to his family, he added: "And there is a convent nearby where someone is always praying." Though only twelve at the time, Margaret never forgot those words.

At the age of sixteen, after completing her studies at the boarding school conducted by the Sisters at our Clyde convent, she wished to dedicate her life to the Perpetual Adoration. But, following the advice of her parents, she taught school for two years at Tipton before entering on August 31, 1897. Great was her joy when she was clothed with the religious habit on February 14, 1898, and still greater when she made her first profession June 28, 1899, receiving the name of Sister M. Dolorosa. Her perpetual vows were made September 11, 1904. On November 16, 1952 she received the Consecration of Virgins, and had the privilege of celebrating her Golden and then her Diamond Jubilee.

Though Sister M. Dolorosa was far from being robust, she generously served the community in many capacities. For a time she taught at the Academy, then worked in the stitching room, and later had charge of the bakery. The latter assignment came to an abrupt end when Mother M. John appeared on the scene one morning as she was kneading bread and told her to come and give spiritual reading to the Novitiate; she was now to be Novice Mistress. Sister was about twenty-five years old. But her services were not to be confined to the novitiate. She helped in the correspondence department, crediting, soliciting new members for the Association of Perpetual Adoration, writing letters (by hand, as no typewriters were in the convent then), etc. In time she became manager of the department, and did much to build up the subscription list to the monthly magazine "Tabernacle and Purgatory," and other phases of the work.

On November 10, 1920, at the age of forty-one, Sister M. Dolorosa had another big surprise when she was elected to succeed Mother M. John as Prioress of the Clyde community. With sound judgment, common sense, and a salty wisdom, together with great trust in God and devotion to the Eucharist, she provided strong leadership in the eighteen years she held this office. During the boom and depression years she guided the community as it became a center for sending a steady stream of funds to destitute religious institutions in Europe through the Caritas work organized by Father Lukas Etlin, the Chaplain, after World War I,. As banks closed and donations dwindled, Mother M. Dolorosa more than once experienced great anxiety about the financial state of the community. Nevertheless she was always generous to the many poor and jobless men who knocked at the convent door for help. In fact, her charity to anyone in need, spiritually or materially, was boundless.

In May, 1928, the first dependent priory was opened at Mundelein, Illinois at the invitation of Cardinal Mundelein. This was the first step in setting up an independent congregation of Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. A second step was in 1985 when a priory was established in Tucson, Arizona. Both entailed long and tedious hours of planning and innumerable train trips for Mother and her faithful co-worker, Sister M. Carmelita.

In November, 1938, with the war looming in Europe, Mother M. Dolorosa was elected the first Prioress General of the Congregation. Despite the difficulties of building during the war years, Mother accepted Archbishop O'Hara's invitation to establish a convent in Kansas City in 1942, relying on the help of Divine Providence.

After a pilgrimage to Rome in 1950 and a private audience she and her two companions, Sister M. Carmelita Quinn and Thiadildis Kraus had with Pope Pius XII, Mother M. Dolorosa retired as Prioress General in 1951. She was elected as assistant to Mother M. Carmelita Quinn, her successor in office. In 1956 she was appointed Prioress of the Mundelein community. Six years later, at the age of eighty- three, Mother became a member of the community in San Diego, California (founded in 1954). Despite her age and ill health, she wanted to do her part in the community's work, and helped to sort altar breads.

In 1968 the infirmities of old age (she was then eighty-nine) and physical ailments, brought her to the Clyde infirmary. Though her health declined steadily, she remained alert and interested in all the community affairs. Even after a stroke had confined her to bed for many weary months, she never lost her courage or patience or her sense of humor which had endeared her to so many. Early in August 1971 she began to fail noticeably. 

A day or so before her death, when asked if she would like to have the Last Discourse from the Gospel of John read to her, she nodded yes. She was able to receive the Precious Blood each morning, including the last day. Early in the morning of the 25th, respiratory failure brought an end to her sufferings. Mother had reached the ripe age of ninety years - years in which the seed of God was richly sown in good soil, and yielded an abundant harvest of thirty, sixty, yes a hundred-fold.

Bishop Charles Helmsing of Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese officiated at her funeral Mass, with Abbot Kevin McGonigle, O.S.B., of Conception, Msgr. Peter Meegan from Mundelein, Ill., Msgr. Joseph O’Rourke of St. Joseph, and Fathers Alphonse, Aiden, Joseph, Roland and Richard as concelebrants; also Father William Vogel from Wichita, Kansas whom Mother had helped during his student years. The funeral Mass was in the spirit of Easter, with the triumphant resurrection theme throughout. The trumpet and Easter Alleluias rang out and the strains of "Bursting Forth from Pharaoh's Prison" wound in and out as Father Edmund Kestel, O.S.B., played the organ. 

Under a hot August sun, Mother M. Dolorosa was laid to rest in Mt. Calvary cemetery, with a large attendance of relatives, friends and neighbors, including many Sisters from our other Priories and other communities. May her beloved soul rest in the peace of Christ, whom she so faithfully served for nine decades.

This sketch of Mother M. Dolorosa's life, though lengthy, would be incomplete without a few comments on her personal traits of character. Mother had a warm personality and a sincere motherly solicitude for others, especially those who might be in any difficulty or distress. Children were instinctively attracted to her, reciprocating her great love for them. Her kindness and gentleness were outstanding, tough she could also be severe on occasion. She was firm in discipline, solid in her principles and convictions, and did not hesitate to give a needed correction.

Fidelity in little things was often the subject of her admonitions: "It is this that pleases God, and we must do all things to please Him. We must seek God in all our actions, intentions and desires, and strive to be always aware of His presence in ourselves and others." She frequently exhorted the Sisters to practice charity towards others in thought word and deed. She was very exact with regard to personal poverty and never wasted anything, even a scrap of paper. Her clothes had to be mended at the first sign of wear. Everything in her use was simple and common. "We are poor religious," she would say, "and poor people don’t have fine, elaborate, expensive or unnecessary things." In fact, she taught more by example than by words, though she would often give little timely admonitions to the Sisters on the life of sacrifice and self-giving they had freely embraced.

Mother had great trust in Divine Providence, and saw the hand of God in everything. When times were hard and funds were low she would encourage the Sisters: "We must trust in God. His Providence will never fail us if we trust in Him and seek His will, and do everything for His honor and glory."

Mother gave an example of love for silence and moderation in speech, as well as modulation of voice, so conducive to recollection in a monastic community. Her prayer life was deep and constant. Prayerfulness on her travels was very edifying. She had a great love and esteem for the Mass and for Eucharistic adoration; was tenderly devoted to the Blessed Virgin, especially as Mother of Sorrows; also to the holy Angels and the poor souls in purgatory whom she invoked for help, particularly the souls of priests in purgatory.

An outstanding characteristic was her docility to ecclesiastical superiors, respect for Church authority, and reverence for priests. Poor health over a period of years often caused her to delegate responsibility for buildings, etc., but she was always approachable for discussion and kindly decisions. When no longer able to render active services, she maintained a lively interest in the affairs and development of the Congregation and the Sisters' fidelity to Adoration and to the Holy Rule.

In short, Mother M. Dolorosa has left us an example of living charity, vital faith, simple patience and winning humor. Her love and fidelity to monastic community life and her dedication to the Eucharist are an enduring legacy to our Congregation. May she now intercede for us in heaven that a new era of development may begin for us, based on the same loyalty, strength and courageous involvement that she practiced, and reaching out to still greater witness to our monastic life and our Eucharistic apostolate.