The sisters have circulated this statement to clarify recent events surrounding the exhumation of the body and its public display while also asking that purported miracles and healings be reported here.
"By now, most of you have heard of the events that have transpired at the Abbey, especially surrounding the exhumation of our Sister Wilhelmina. We simply want to reach out to you to clarify a few points.
Our Abbey had been planning the addition of a St. Joseph Shrine within the oratory for quite some time, including the reinterment of the remains of our beloved foundress, Sister Wilhelmina. Last month, in preparation for the construction of the shrine, we exhumed her, having been told to expect bones in the highly moist clay of Missouri, as she was buried in a simple wooden coffin without any embalming whatsoever four years ago.
The intent was devotional, and to carry this out in the privacy of our cloistered life. Nevertheless, the discovery of what appeared to be an intact body and a perfectly preserved religious habit created an unexpected twist to our plans. We had no intent to make the discovery so public, but unfortunately, a private email was posted publicly, and the news began to spread like wildfire. However, God works in mysterious ways, and we embrace His new plan for us."
As the sisters mentioned in the above quote, the altar was created specifically to hold the mortal remains of Sr. Mary Wilhelmina, who was recently exhumed from her original burial spot in the convent garden. The stated purpose of this altar was from he beginning to hold her mortal remains, albeit without a glass window. As the foundress, it is a perfectly normal custom to have the founding member of a religious community reinterred in the main convent chapel.
Indeed, it is noteworthy that the remains were found to be incorrupt, generally a sign of sanctity. In the Christian tradition, saints and blesseds who are found to be incorrupt give witness to the truth of the resurrection of the body and the incorruptible life that is to come for those who love Christ and persevere to the end. All of this is being documented for the time when an official investigation commences.
Below are two images of the altar, with its quickly adapted glass side, added to accommodate an incorruptible, revealing the inner contents. A detachable side cover was therefore crafted for the altar, designed to cover the glass enclosure when needed. This type of altar, although a rare sight in North America, is a long-standing custom seen in many Catholic countries.
The altar was made by Andrew Colf and Mark Gabryel of the Catholic Customs Company, a new start-up that makes custom altars for home oratories. The company has images on their website of the project, seen here. Many Catholics flocked to witness the internment on Monday, May 29th. An image taken from a video of the sisters processing to the new altar with the body of their beloved foundress can be seen below.
"Many wonder, what is the Lord trying to say to us in giving us this extremely rare and beautiful sign? I dare say, He is telling us that He loves us, He is with us, and He wants us to be with Him in heaven: body and soul! This little black Sister shows us visibly, that death is not the end. She has resisted the effects of the Fall of our first parents in her very body, and she manifests to all the world the beauty of being a Bride of Christ, especially at a time when bridehood has been severely undermined, within both religious life and family life. She points to her Bridegroom as the Resurrection and the Life, Who will raise us up on the Last Day, that those who are faithful may not fear even death. Please thank the good God with us, for having given such a sign in our midst. He is real, and heaven is real. This should give us all great hope in His eternal promises!"
