215. Europe Bicycle Trip--Sister Angel , Jacques' Tante Mein is Zuster Marietta

I bicycled a LONG way down Bredaseweg in Tilburg until I came to the address 291. The big white building is a convent for nuns of the Zusters , Dochters van OL Vrouw vh H Hart (sisters , daughters of our lady of the Sacred Heart) but it is also a retirement home for some priests and a care home for the public, De Wever, Woonzorgcentrum Notre Dame. I didn't want my bicycle showing by the busy street so I walked it farther to the back of the buildings where I looked for  some overhead protection for Silver in case it rained again. Now my problem was to find an entrance into the building. I tried the nearest door but it was locked. Then I remembered something I still needed from my bicycle and in that time , my Lord sent an angel to let me in. A sister came outside through this door and I happened to see her and explain my presence here. She remembered that earlier in the morning Sister Marietta had said something about a visitor from Canada and she connected that the Mein that I was looking for was Sister Marietta.

Sister angel, as I will call her here (I apologize because I don't remember her name although I think it might be Mary Ellen) allowed me to enter through this back door and brought me all the way to Sister Marietta's room.

Zuster Marietta (Mein Noordermeer) is the  older sister of my cousin Theo Van der Pryt's wife Rita Noordermeer. We grew up in Tilbury, Ontario countryside near Theo and Rita's house. Zuster Marietta is also the aunt (Tante Mein) of Jacques Noordermeer that I had visited in Nieuwstadt.

Zuster Marietta was so happy to have me come to visit. She and her sister, Rita look very much alike to me and I found that her mannerisms were also a lot like Rita's.

Her living area

The bed

Photo above the bed

Sister Marietta had a brother Pete who was a very good painter and this was one of his works. Pete and his wife and family lived near Chatham, Ontario and one fall he drove up to Sault Ste. Marie and when he visited, he said he saw something up here that he had never seen before. It had been cold and snow had come down on the beautiful colored leaves. It was a sight to behold.

After our initial greeting conservation, Sister Marietta invited me to join her for Sunday lunch.

I sat with her at this table. The other tables were full with other sisters and also retired priests that also live here in a separate wing but join the sisters for meals and worship. They all greeted me warmly.

It was a delicious meal with pork, potato balls, mixed vegetables and apple sauce.

A nice butterscotch pudding dessert followed the dinner.

We returned to Zuster Marietta's room and she showed me the family book that was given to her and other photos.

Van Slagturven tot Mestschipperen--(From peat digger to manure boating)--The life story of Jacobus Josephus Noordermeer, the father of Zuster Marietta (Mein) , Pete and Rita and 7 other siblings.

The painting on the front and back of the book was done by Pete.

Mein, Pete and Rita are in the front row as children . Parents, grandparents and other relatives fill the photo.

5 of Sister Marietta's mother's children went into orders.

Sister Marietta (Mein), Rita and Pete's sister Toos who passed away not too long ago. I couldn't get over how much the sisters look like each other.

I had never seen this beautiful photo of Rita.

Sister Marietta also had photos from Canada. Top right--Theo and Rita, Bottom left-Rita's daughter Marjorie's family

Mein has been Zuster Marietta for just over 60 years. This article was in the newspaper. When she was small she always wanted to be a teacher and was the only one of the 10 children in the family to be able to get an education.While in the convent she was able to take several years of English and also of French. She became a teacher and also later was a director over many convents. She participated at the Vatican Council in Italy for several years. Eventually, she had too much on the go and had to return here to rest and retire.

Zuster Marietta has always had a very keen interest in the solar system and at her 60th year anniversary as a nun, her friends gave  her this wall plaque of the solar system.