Sister Margaret Langsett

11/21/1930 – 09/06/2013

On September 6th, 2013 Sister Margaret Langsett died in the convent of Jesus the Good Shepherd in Grand Prairie and went to God who she knew and loved as God of Love. Sister Margaret had many “loves” in her life in addition to God: she loved Sacred Heart of Jesus, Blessed Mother and Mother Foundress. She often repeated that she was chosen for the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth before she even knew of the Congregation because she was born on November 21, the day of death of our Mother Foundress, Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd. She was under the special protection of the Blessed Mother since she was born on the day when the Church honors Mary by celebrating the day of …. It would not be a surprise if Sister Margaret smiles from heaven reminding us that that even the date when she died was very special: she died on the eve of the First Friday of the month when we honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and a day before the Church honors Blessed Mother by celebrating the day of her birthday on September 9th.

Sister Margaret left many things behind that she continues to be remembered and loved for. One of those is her very own testimony of her life which she titled: “Touched by His Love.” This is what she included among other things:

Touched By His Love

Sr. M. Margaret Langsett

Born on November 21, 1930 at St Elizabeth Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, I was the third in line of four children born to Arthur and Frances (Handorff) Langsett. Descendants of German and Norwegian/Swedish heritage, my parents were hard working people with strong, independent personalities that played a major factor in the dissolution of their marriage in 1935.

The custody of all the children, ages eight, six, four and a year and a half went to my father, who later married Florence Skullman. After living in several places, we eventually moved to Spokane, Washington where most of us, and succeeding generations still reside. Being only four 1/2 years old at the time, this upheaval so early in my life naturally left me insecure and fearful of displeasing others. Since my father had not practiced his Methodist faith, we were raised in a loving but nonreligious environment. It wasn’t until I was nine that I discovered the existence of God. I had found a Bible that came into our house through a box of items my father had purchased at an auction sale. I read how God created us and was so fascinated by this revelation that I went in search of that God who loved me so much that He made me. Seeing people all dressed up on Sunday, I questioned my father where they were going and he replied they were going to church. I asked if I could go to church and he said I could if I wanted. So, I took my baby brother and went to the Presbyterian Church on the corner. Continuing my search for God, I would attend various church services with neighbors and friends. I had no particular interest in the Catholic faith except to call the Catholic children names as our paths crossed en route to school. It was also around the age of nine when I was informed that I had a real mother living in Chicago. This information made no impact on me because I did not even remember her and I was already secure in my own “happy family”. In 1943, when I was 12 ½ my father decided to send my younger brother and me to visit our real mother. She had not seen us for eight years.

My mother, a fallen away catholic, set no religious example for us. However, it was during this time that I visited a Catholic church for the first time. This act changed my life completely. It was at St. Josaphat’s that my journey towards Nazareth began. Having been in all those other churches, I felt deep in my heart that this was where I belonged and fell in love with Blessed Mother who became my mother. Praying to her daily, she drew me closer to her Son, Jesus, and guided me in my faith. At this time, I met the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth when my mother enrolled us at St. Josaphat’s school. In eighth grade Mother Anthony, Principal and Superior prepared me for my first Holy Communion. May, 1945, before graduation, I received Jesus into my heart for the first time. Still not immersed in the faith, I did not fully realize the importance of this sacrament, but Jesus continued to love me as I slowly grew in His love. I do not know when I actually received the grace of my vocation. I assume I must have heard a talk on religious life. I marvel how Divine Providence guided me as I went to Mother Anthony and made all the arrangements to enter convent in the fall, without the knowledge of my mother or father.

It had to be God’s special calling, His special grace which sustained me during this difficult time. I also came to the realization

that Mother Foundress had been playing an important part in my life all this time. It was at St. Josaphat’s, the first parish our Foundress came to in 1885, where I found my faith and vocation and met the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Once I entered Holy Family Academy as an Aspirant, I discovered that I was born on the death anniversary of our Blessed Foundress, November 21st. Preparation for Postulancy and Novitiate passed and on August 5, 1950 I pronounced my temporary vows. Two years later, at the age of twenty-two, my father decided that religious life was not for me and came to take me home. With no religious convictions of his own, it was difficult for him to understand my choice in life. He felt I needed to marry and have children. I finally convinced him I was happy and had been specially called to this state in life. After making my Final Profession of vows on August, 15, 1956 and taking the mystery of the “Loving hearts of Jesus and Mary,” I went home to visit for the first time since leaving Spokane in 1943. I knelt in the Catholic Church I had refused to enter in my childhood days, and thanked God for His love and blessings. Who would have ever thought that someday I would be kneeling there, not only as a Catholic, but as a Religious as well, probably kneeling next to someone I used to call names. As I progressed through the different stages of religious life, the desire to be a “good Catholic” and a “good religious”, trying to “please everyone”, drove me to be a perfectionist and to set goals which were impossible to achieve. I had dictated to God how I was going to control and live my life. This stubborn independence finally forced me, in desperation, to plead with God to intervene. He had to bring me down to utter nothingness within myself, in order to fill me anew with His peace and love. After much spiritual suffering, I finally realized that it was not what I did in life that counted but with how much love I did it. God taught me, during this difficult time, that I should accept each day as it comes, with its good and bad, and live it to the best of my ability. He showed me that He loved me even though I was not perfect, that I do and will make mistakes and that there will be people I will not be able to please, no matter how hard I try. As I reflect on my life experiences, I see how God brings good out of evil. That it is suffering which draws us closer to Him, shapes us, molds us and makes us more compassionate and caring people, if we allow it to. Otherwise, we become angry and bitter with life. It has been these experiences that enabled me to understand and counsel the parents and students I taught for 24 years. I was a first grade teacher (14 years); operated a

specialized reading center for grades 1-8; was the first graduate from the University of Dallas in 1960, and received my Masters in Religious Education from the University of St. Thomas in Houston in 1977. I conducted Adult Teacher training courses for the Diocese of Dallas 1971 – 1974; Secretary to the Vice Provincial Superior (8 years); also Vocation Director at this time; Editor of the Community newspaper (7 years); Superior of the convent in Wichita Falls (6 years); and worked in the Pastoral Care Department there (10years). I was Assistant Provincial and Provincial Secretary (1994 – 2000); Associate Vocations Director for the Diocese of Dallas-part time (1998 – 2008). Facilities Manager for the community 2004 – 2009.

C.P.E (Chaplaincy Pastoral Education) was the best thing that had happened to me. It helped me to see my many faults and failings and to deepen my relationship with Our Lord. I am able to face difficult challenges with truth and integrity and not with insecurity and fear. I needed to realize that others are not that strong and I should not hold them to the high expectations I have of myself. Upon completion of four units (a year’s study) I was assigned as Director of Pastoral Care at Trinity Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, TX. I was totally enthused with this assignment because it enabled me to share God’s love with those who desperately needed it This joy was not to last. A call from Mother General in Rome came seven months later asking me to be the Assistant Provincial Superior and Provincial Secretary at the Provincialate in Grand Prairie, TX. Always obedient to any request made by my superiors, I acquiesced, but not without some sadness. God has used suffering throughout my life to strengthen and bind me ever closer to him. In 2005 I was diagnosed with cancer of the right vocal chord. After 36 radiation treatments I was told that the cancer could return and that I needed to be checked regularly for three years. After that, I would be considered cured. I am almost at the end of my third year. Shortly after, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have double Mastectomy, followed with 28 radiation treatments. A total of 64 radiation treatments

which obviously react on the body but I am in God’s hands and do not worry about it. I will continue to fulfill all my responsibilities to the best of my ability until the day God calls me to Himself. On August 13, 2008 I was told the results of a recent bone scan that shows I have bone cancer in both hips and breastbone. Mother Foundress teaches us to always place our total trust in the Lord. I have placed myself totally in the arms of God. I do not worry because it only makes things worse and doesn’t change anything. None of us were promised tomorrow. We have only this moment and all belongs to God. On December 31st I received my first chemo treatment along with the infusion. Because I never took medicine apart from vitamins most of my life, my body reacted violently to the chemo. It was only the strength I received from prayer, my love for Blessed Mother, who is always at my side, that I was able bear with it. Medicines were provided to counteract the effects, but also caused side effects. Slowly my body began to recover and is more at ease. As of July 9, 2009 the hormone therapy is not working and the cancer cells have tripled. I will be put on a low dose of chemo weekly, instead of a full dose once a month. Hopefully it will not make me as sick. The procedure did not work and a CT scan was ordered. It indicated that I had cancer cells in my spine and lungs. As of today, April 23, 2010, my cancer cells in the blood have risen. I tire easily, so rest every afternoon to renew my energy. I am still active and try to keep busy. God still has work for me to do. When you read this I want you to concentrate on how God’s loving, forgiving and compassionate care for me has been the result of an unbelievable journey. He chose to guide and direct me from the age of 9 when I discovered that He made me and went in search of Him. I have found that God who loved me so much that He made me. I have truly been touched by His love. As we are saying our last “good-bye” to Sister Margaret, we vividly remember so many things about Sister Margaret and the way she used to describe herself. We all remember her for her joyfulness and the many ways she reached out to others to make them happy, especially by sharing funny jokes and stories. When already on the wheelchair, Sister Margaret loved to give rides to children visiting convent. During her many visits to doctors and radiation centers, she continued her ministry to the sick by her example of faith to accept he cross of her illness. She used to joke that she did not need light anymore because, due to the many radiation, she was glowing in dark. She loved nature and she often spoke that nature was her therapy. Ducks, birds, cats and nature scenes were her favorite. At one point she even managed to hatch little ducking and later cared for them while carrying them hidden in her jacket’s pocket. Her love for nature was so practical that she even hid and nursed 12 little ducklings in her shower during the winter months so they would not be too cold outside. Her generosity was always at service to those who asked her for help, including finding articles that might be of interested to others. In local community it was known that Sister Margaret is the last person on the list to read newspaper. While reading it, she used to clip out various articles that might be of interest of others. Any request for prayer she took deeply to heart and remembered for a long time in her prayers.

Sister Margaret liked to tell the story of how she discovered the truth about God that “God is LOVE.” She was amazed with this and believed this was something totally knew she discovered about God. Later on, when she found that Saint John in one of his letters wrote: “God is love,” she felt her bubble burst. However, her conviction of personal love of God for her has never left her. Sister Margaret often introduced herself as "the Fun Nun from the God Squad.” When the cancer took toll on her but still she was with us, she joked that Jesus did not want her to boss him around in heaven. Today she is with Jesus and all the Saints she loved so dearly.