Mother M. Giliana Mason
“You will live as a disciple.”
My first name is Scholastica. Thanks to my Confucian father and my Catholic mother, I grew up receiving an inspiring education, however, I lived naturally in Catholicism and in a free atmosphere. When I first met Mother Giliana, the first thing she told me was that I would become a disciple. She told me that the name of the first Pious Disciple was also Scholastica, so she entrusted me to her and said that she would pray and wait for me. Thinking about it now, I believe it may have been her desire to cultivate in me the seed of vocation.
“Let us go forward in faith!”
Due to a hereditary disease, I had high blood pressure and severe nosebleeds. In spite of this, I received special permission to enter the convent. However, I was afraid that this would become an ongoing illness. Before my profession, on the advice of the Novice Mistress, we decided to pray together the novena to Timothy Giaccardo and ask him for the grace of healing. He is now Blessed Timothy, and he gave his life for the Pious Disciples. On the day the novena was finished, after the celebration of the First Profession, my nosebleeds miraculously ceased, and the sisters recognized this as a healing and rejoiced! It was an occasion to experience deep faith, and from that day, I experience continued good health.
“Jesus knows everything. I do not lose peace.”
Sr. M. Giliana came to Korea at the age of 28 and remained there for thirty-three years. For a long time, she was the Novice Mistress and dedicated herself to transmitting and cultivating our spirituality according to the charism of the founder. She always obeyed Mother Ancilla* and gave us a wonderful example of service to the elder sisters. It was an example to us to live lives of holiness with her attitude of service to the elderly, of love for the sisters and of compassion for the sick.
Both in Korean society and in our community, we have often been misunderstood. This is mainly because of the lack of understanding of completely different cultures. Even though she was not at fault, she always asked for forgiveness. On one occasion I told her that I worried about this. However, she always replied: “Do not worry, Jesus knows everything and gives you courage and comfort. Jesus is our only reward.” I entered the convent desiring a contemplative and silent life. Her words were spiritual nourishment for me and sustained me in many trials, mistakes, and failures that I experienced.
“Let’s meet in paradise.”
She was a woman of strong faith. To adapt to our Korean culture, she struggled with the poverty and the spicy food. She suffered with this diet and her gums were affected badly. Because of the freezing Korean winters, she developed a paralysis in the facial nerve. A very skilled elderly man administered acupuncture to her in the middle of the night and her face returned to normal. Following this episode, the superior Sr. M. Grazia** encouraged her to eat Italian food. Before the day of our first profession, as a group we went up to the terrace. When we finished our last night adoration as novices, she told us: “I was always worried about not knowing your language well. However, you will not lack knowledge of religious life and our charism. Always go forward with faith. We will continue to be united in prayer. We’ll see each other in heaven.” The professed members of our group still live today in a spirit of faith and gratitude.
I had thought about my desire to return home so as not to become a burden of the convent because of my illness. However, after my first profession, Mother said to me: “Are you coming home? Teresa, this is your home, where are you going?” These words helped me to live by continually offering my poverty totally to God and to the congregation.
Before deciding anything, she always looked to our Rule of Life. She said that the Angelus was a renewal of our religious vows. She taught us to memorize the phrases of Sacred Scripture and encouraged us to know and understand them well. She also said that good habits are virtues, a small example was to always put things in their proper place.
During my novitiate I experienced a vocational crisis. Everything was upside down and community life was a challenge. It was a great burden for me. I lived like this day after day with a heavy heart and I became unsure about my vocation. I thought: “This is painful. It seems there is no joy remaining, I’m weighed down daily. Perhaps I do not have a vocation. I will talk about it to Mother before making my decision.”
So, with resolve, I went to talk to Mother Giliana, and she asked me: “What is going on?” The way she looked at me that day was filled with
her motherly kindness and compassion. I opened my heart to her, which had long been closed and cold, and I said to her: “Mother, if I have no vocation I will leave.” She firmly said to me: “Who told you that you have no vocation? Be humble, try to make communion with your sisters.” That day it seemed to me that I had received in advance from her the seal of vocation. I went forward with hope and courage, comforted by these words. Even afterwards, I had many difficulties, but I remembered the encounter I had with this Mother, and I found great strength and courage. I am deeply grateful to Mother for teaching and helping me and to live and walk as a Pious Disciple!
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*Mother M. Ancilla Belesso was born in 1924. She entered the Congregation in 1940 and made her profession on 25th March, 1943. She went to her eternal reward on 1st September 2014. Sr Ancilla served in the USA, Japan and South Korea.
**Sr. M. Grazia Leonardi was born in 1936. She served in South Korea from 1968 until 1975.She currently lives in the community of Bordighera).
2 Comments
What an inspiring story of Sr Giliana as told by a sister who knew her. I was moved by the way Sr Giliana was able to enter into such a completely different culture and be at home. She is truly an example of a humble and dynamic disciples of the Diving Master! Sr Kathryn pddm
Dear Sr. Giliana, I greatly admire your missionary spirit. You accepted the culture completely different than yours. Thank you