MYSTICAL NURSE

 

Another amazing Polish nurse of this period was SERVANT of GOD ROZALIA CELAKOWNA. She was born to a peasant family in 1901 in Jachówka near Maków Podhalański. Her parents, Tomasz and Joanna struggled to raise their eight children from the small piece of land they owned. Concerned that their children had a good Catholic formation, they daily prayed together, said the Rosary, and frequently received the Eucharist.  Reading the Holy Scriptures and religious books played a great role in this education and well as singing together for hours. Due to their piety some called their home - not without malice - "a monastery where nuns are brought up."

Rozalia experienced her first mystical encounters with Christ at the age of six. A year later, according to the memoirs she wrote down, Jesus called her to trust Him fully. From then on, He often spoke to her soul. She heard His voice almost every day. “The Lord Jesus spoke to my soul (...). In this way, He drew my soul to Him and made everything that was not Him bitter”.

In 1914, after six years of study, she graduated from primary school with very good results. Unfortunately, her parents were unable to finance her further education. So she stayed at home for the next few years, helping her parents on the farm.

This is what Rozalia wrote about her parents: “From my earliest years, they inculcated into my soul the deep tenets of holy faith and the love of God and neighbors. They watched over my soul to guard it from any corruption. At home, I had never been set a bad example.”  

 From her parents, Rozalia learned how to mold her character: to overcome selfishness, to acquire humility and meekness, to be able to forgive, to be good and kind, and ready to serve the elderly and needy. First of all, however, she learned how to grow in the love of God.

At the end of World War I, Rozalia decided to take a private vow of chastity. She did it in front of the statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in the parish church in Bieńkówka.

The following years were difficult. She experienced "terrible spiritual suffering", fighting  temptation and discouragement. Her confessors, who did not understand her spiritual condition, could not help her. This "dark night" lasted until March 1925. Similar experiences, though not so long-lasting, were also repeated in later years.

In August 1924, Rozalia moved to Krakow. Living with a friend, an elderly nurse, she pondered her future. She dreamed of joining a convent, but her repeated requests for admission to contemplative orders were refused due to the lack of places.

At the beginning of 1925, she started working at the surgery ward of the St. Lazarus. After a month, she was transferred to the venereal diseases ward. There,  this young, innocent girl was forced to associate with vulgar, often blaspheming prostitutes. She began to wonder if this was really a place she should stay with for longer. 

 Admittedly, during the prayer she heard the voice of Christ: In the hospital there is a place reserved for you, by My will”. In spite of this work she decided to join the Poor Clares, yet  eventually her health deteriorated. Her body was considered too weak to cope with the hardships of religious life.

On the advice of her confessor, she returned to St. Lazarus working in the ophthalmology clinic. However, the Lord Jesus made her feel that she should return to the venereal diseases ward.  Rozalia obeyed the will of the Lord, who said to her: You are to work in this place to reward Me for these terrible sins and to console my Divine Heart. I want you here”.

She would  receive many offers from her superiors to take other, more independent and better paid positions. But she always refused. She tried to deepen her knowledge and gain skills that would help her work better in the venereal diseases ward. In 1933, she completed a nursing theory course, and after completing her secondary school education, she obtained a qualified nurse diploma.

She was valued for caring not only for patients' bodies, but also for their souls. Converted prostitutes began to call her "beloved Rózia" and even "mother". They prayed with her, sang pious songs, and received the sacrament of penance.

It is significant that during the twenty years of work in the hospital, during her shift, no patient died who would not be reconciled with God.

Her  great dedication is also evidenced by the fact that she took on most of the night duties, willingly replacing her friends. Unfortunately, despite her modesty, constant willingness to help and consensual character, there were people who tried to humiliate her. They even used a possessed woman who beat and called Rozalia horrid names. However, she offered all her sufferings to God, thanks to which, many people were converted.

In difficult moments, she sought consolation in prayer, Holy Communion, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a mystical conversation with Jesus.

Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, Christ entrusted her with one more task - to convey to the hierarchy of the Polish Church the news that it is the will of the Son of God that He should be solemnly proclaimed the King of Poland. Enthronement should have been accompanied by the conversion of all Poles. “Only a complete spiritual rebirth and putting oneself under the control of my Heart can save Poland and other nations from total extermination”, Christ often repeated to her. 

 Rozalia handed over the will of the Lord Jesus to Primate Cardinal August Hlond. Unfortunately, despite his good will, the whole thing dragged on. Primate Hlond wanted to be sure that Rozalia's mysticism was authentic. Despite the urgings of Christ, the enthronement was not carried out before 1939 and the fall of the Second Polish Republic.

“Look, child, what a terrible insult and pain are inflicted by unclean sins, murders of [children] and terrible hatred who does not know what love for My neighbor is”, Jesus complained about the Poles.  Like St. Faustina Kowalska, she prophesized the destruction of Warsaw.  

After the occupation of Krakow by the Germans, Rozalia continued to work in the hospital. Hard work and difficult living conditions, and health complications caused by Plautus-Vincent's angina, she died in the presence of her relatives and friends, September 1944. 

On her grave there is a sculpture of a stylized heart with its porcelain oval image, over which a small cross is placed.