We Lived With A True Saint

This Marker Is All That Remains Of The Cloister. Let This Never Happen Again!

Sr. Mildred Mary Neuzil wrote this for the funeral mass of Sr. Florecita, the foundress of the cloister at New Riegel Ohio.
Our Lady of The Nativity Convent

We Lived With A True Saint
By Sister Mildred Marie Neuzil (Seer of Our Lady of America)

Sister Mary Florecita Bidart was born on May 4, 1904, in Corona, California to Josqhina (Gliss) and Samson Bidart, both of who came to America from France. She was the eldest of five girls. In the world she was known as Marie. Her father had a large sheep ranch in Chino, built a home and raised his family there.
Maria attended San Luis Academy, in California, and when she was 17 entered the Sisters of the Precious Blood at Maria Stein, Ohio.
For over 30 years Sister Florecita taught in schools of the Congregation of the Precious Blood in California, Indiana and Ohio. She was a very successful teacher and her pupils loved her dearly. To this day many have kept in touch with her.
For sometime Sister was also director of the Catholic Information Center at St. Mary’s Church in Dayton, Ohio.
Whatever Sister Florecita undertook, with her complete trust in God, turned out to be a tremendous success; yet, she was never ambitious in seeking glory for herself, but only for God.
Sister always felt drawn to a more Contemplative Way of Life, and so entered the Dominican Nuns of Perpetual Adoration in Detroit, Michigan but due to the poor health returned to the Congregation in Dayton. It was, however, in the Dominican Cloister that Sister was inspired to start a Contemplative Group within the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood.
Sister Mary Florecita worked toward this idea for over 25 years, and at four General Chapters Sister was promised that the Cloister would be voted on but each time it was never brought to the floor until, at one Chapter, Archbishop Alter, himself, brought it to the Chapter floor and since the Bishop, himself, presented the petition, it was voted, passed and accepted by the Congregation.
With the help and encouragement of Archbishop McNicholias, Archbishop Alter, Bishop Marling, Archbishop Leibold, Msgr. Markham and Bishop Rehring, Sister Florecita’s dream became a reality. Archbishop McNicholas did say to Sister: “Because you Congregation has always been too geared toward activity, I doubt if the Sisters of the Precious Blood will ever understand and appreciate a Contemplative Group.” His prediction has been proven true.
Mother Aquinas told Sister Florecita that she could have part of the New Riegel convent for the Cloister, if she could remodel and do whatever was needed on her own through donations, etc. It meant a lot of hard work and planning for Sister as she also was teaching school here at St. Boniface and working at night on the Cloister.
The interior of the present convent was completely renovated and the grounds within the enclosure were beautifully landscaped. Additional ground in the back was purchased by Sister Florecita for a large vegetable garden and an enclosure wall was built. Printing equipment was purchased as needed. All this was paid for by donations from Sister Florecita’s friends and benefactors.
Twelve years ago, Sister found it necessary to put up a new wing as added quarters were required for they were growing in number. Again the building and furnishings were paid for by Sister Florecita from donations received. The Congregation in Dayton was never called upon for funds to support us. We were entirely self-supporting.
A figure well over $800,000 was spent at New Riegel.
The Statues of the Contemplative Way of Life at New Riegel and rule had full approval from the Sacred Congregation for Religious in Rome even though their own Congregation said it would never recognize our status.
In December of 1977, the Officials from Dayton, Ohio came to New Riegel with orders for Sister Mary Florecita along with Sister Joseph Therese to leave the New Riegel Monastery the next morning. (Later we found out from the Officials in Rome, that the Superiors in Dayton did not have the authority to do what they did to us.) Without a hearing, Sister Mary Florecita was judged and condemned.
The Contemplative Group at New Riegel, seeing the injustice of the whole matter, asked the Officials in Dayton that the two, Sister Florecita and Sister Joseph Therese, be given 30 days to make a decision. In the meantime, Sister Mildred Marie Neuzil, along with the other Contemplative Sisters, got together and came to realize that the only way to preserve and be able to live our “Contemplative Way of Life” was to ask for a complete separation from the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood.
For sometime, because of the difficulty and pressures the Congregation put on the Cloister, this idea for separation was thought about but Sister Florecita would always say, “When the Lord wants us to separate, He will give us a sign.” And this He did by their forcing to break up the Contemplative Community. Part of the difficulty we were experiencing was due to the Congregation trying to force their polices of an active life upon us.
Sister Mary Florecita had all the Characteristics of a true Foundress – Absolute Faith and Trust in God; Strength of Character; True Generosity; Insight; Simplicity; Discernment and Vision.
So like all Great Souls she was much misunderstood. In spite of being rejected, treated unjustly, brought to judgment without a trial, Sister went on trusting in God, remaining faithful and accusing no one.
Even though the Congregation to which she had belonged, completely destroyed all that she spent her life working and suffering for, Sister’s faith and trust in God was unwavering. Sister was also called a failure by the Bishop of the Diocese just two months before her death because of the untrue stories told him.
We know that Sister Florecita was not a failure but too much of the success for certain minds to comprehend. Like Christ, Himself, who went before her, was also considered a failure and was completely rejected by so many, the same is true with sister. Sister Florecita’s work and belief in Contemplative Prayer as a Way of Life will continue in the lives of her two Contemplative Sisters, who survive her and in the years for those that will follow.
Yes, Sister was too much of a success to be accepted for what she really was. Her generosity of heart was of such an all embracing nature that it was bound to be misconstrued and criticized by those who did not really know her and the Seal of Success on her work as God sees it. This will be proven in the years now following her death.
A week before Sister Florecita’s death, the Officials once again came from Dayton and this was the final blow received. Sister suffered a massive heart attack. She was fully conscious to the end, received the Church’s Last Rites and died in the arms of her two sisters, Sister Mildred Marie Neuzil and Sister Joseph Therese Fuller, at Mercy Hospital at 2:20 A.M. on April 3, 1979. Although Sister Mary Florecita never, never felt any bitterness she asked that her body NOT be returned to Dayton or New Riegel but that she be buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Tiffin, Ohio. Sister Florecita told us as she told many that her link with the Congregation of the Sisters of the Precious Blood was severed and her work must continue outside the Congregation and away from New Riegel.
Sister Florecita along with us asked for exclaustration. Several weeks ago when we spoke to Father Basil Heiser at the Sacred Congregation for Religious in Rome, he told us that our papers were processed and sent out. Now we are only two and we will continue to live our Contemplative Life of Prayer that Sister Florecita taught us. We know that within the Congregation this would be impossible.
The Sacred Congregation in Rome told us that if we wish, we can go under a Bishop, ask for a complete dispensation from the Congregation and eventually become a Pius Union. This we eventually intend to do.
We thank God for giving us the privilege of living with a Saint. We know that at all times she will be with us as she promised she would be both in life and in death. Before she died, she called us, “The Little Trinity.” As a priest friend once said of her, she is like a cowboy, a truly free spirit, riding the prairie, her eyes fixed on God. Sister Mary Florecita never let herself be upset by little things. She considered these of no consequences and a waste of time to dwell upon. She was a woman of greatness, concerned only about the greater things of life and her relationship with God. One of her favorite mottos was, “Never look back with bitterness or regret. The past is past! Rather, go forward to the work of God waiting for you.” Her special psalm was Psalm 37, “Commit your life to the Lord: Trust in Him and He will act, etc.”
As Father Gorman said at the Eulogy of Sister’s Funeral Mass, “She died before she died and so she did not die.” Sister Mary Florecita Bidart lives forever, especially in the hearts and lives of her two surviving Contemplative Sisters, Sister Mildred Marie Neuzil and Sister Joseph Therese Fuller.
She marched to the music of a different drummer.

If anyone would like to know any more about Sister Florecita, please write to Sister Mildred Marie and Sister Joseph Therese.
Written and signed by
Sister Mildred Marie Neuzil
Sister Joseph Therese Fuller

St. Joseph and The First Wensdays

The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker is celebrated on May 1. This Feast was instituted by Pope Pius XII in order to impress on our minds the dignity of human work and the principles according to which it should be carried on. He chose St. Joseph as the model and helper of all workers.
From the example of St. Joseph, we should learn that we work in obedience to God's command for our earthly needs while at the same time hoping to attain our heavenly reward. He who was obedient to God's commands took care of the Holy Family by his skill and labor will not fail to extend his help and protection to his co-workers.
On His part, Jesus "was obedient to them" (Lk. 2:51) and thereby sanctified His daily work with St. Joseph. Work was the daily expression of love in the Holy Family. Work, which was a consequence of Original Sin (see Gn. 3:17-20), was now redeemed by Jesus who labored at the workbench with St. Joseph. Work is a human good which transforms nature and makes man, in a sense, more human.
Pius XII decreed that the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker should be celebrated on May 1st, the traditional Workers' Day. He hoped that St. Joseph's patronage would promote peace between workers and their employers and end the strife that too often marred their relationship.
Pope Paul VI said, "St. Joseph is the model of those humble ones that Christianity raises up to great destinies; he is the proof that in order to be a good and genuine follower of Christ, there is no need of great things — it is enough to have the common, simple and human virtues, but they need to be true and authentic."
Pope Pius IX declared St. Joseph to be the "Patron of the Catholic Church". We place our confidence in his protection because he will protect the Church family just as he protected the Holy Family.
Pope John Paul II prayed, "May St. Joseph become for all of us an exceptional teacher in the service of Christ's saving mission, a mission which is the responsibility of each and every member of the Church: husbands and wives, parents, those who live by the work of their hands or by any other kind of work, those called to the contemplative life and those called to the apostolate… ."
Peacemaker
The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in the United States and revealed her title as "Our Lady of America, The Immaculate Virgin." She also said, "I am the Immaculate One, Patroness of your land." She appeared to Sister Mildred Neuzil in several apparitions that began in 1956 and continued until her death on January 10, 2000 at the age of 83. The devotion to Our Lady of America is the only canonically approved devotion that is based upon apparitions of Our Lady in the United States.
On March 11, 1958, Our Lady of America spoke to Sister Mildred about St. Joseph. She said, "My holy spouse has an important part to play in bringing peace to the world."
In confirmation of Our Lady's statement that St. Joseph "has an important part to play in bringing peace to the world", he told Sister Mildred on his feast day, March 19, 1958:
Dear child, I was king in the little home of Nazareth, for I sheltered within it the Prince of Peace and the Queen of Heaven. To me they looked for protection and sustenance, and I did not fail them.
I received from them the deepest love and reverence, for in me they saw Him whose place I took over them.
So the head of the family must be loved, obeyed, and respected, and in return be a true father and protector to those under his care.
In honoring in a special way my fatherhood, you also honor Jesus and Mary. The Divine Trinity has placed into our keeping the peace of the world.
The imitation of the Holy Family, my child, of the virtues we practiced in our little home at Nazareth is the way for all souls to that peace which comes from God alone and which none other can give.
Father
The Fatherhood of God is the source of human fatherhood. St. Joseph acted as the father of Jesus. Fathers are called to love and lead their families as a model of God the Father's love for them. St. Joseph is the model father. He came to Sister Mildred and said that fathers must come to him to learn obedience to authority, the Church and the laws of their country. Fathers also must imitate his great purity of life and the deep respect that he held for his Immaculate Spouse.
On the eve of his Feast, March 18, 1958, he came to Sister and said:
All Fatherhood is blest in me whom the Eternal Father chose as His representative on earth, the Virgin-Father of His own Divine Son. Through me the Heavenly Father has blessed all fatherhood, and through me He continues and will continue to do so till the end of time.
My spiritual fatherhood extends to all God's children, and together with my Virgin Spouse I watch over them with great love and solicitude.
Fathers must come to me, small one, to learn obedience to authority: to the Church always, as the mouthpiece of God, to the laws of the country in which they live, insofar as these do not go against God and their neighbor.
Mine was perfect obedience to the Divine Will, as it was shown and made known to me by the Jewish law and religion. To be careless in this is most displeasing to God and will be severely punished in the next world.
Let fathers also imitate my great purity of life and the deep respect I held for my Immaculate Spouse. Let them be an example to their children and fellowmen, never willfully doing anything that would cause scandal among God's people.
Fatherhood is from God, and it must take once again its rightful place among men.
Pure Heart
Jesus and Mary desire that the Pure Heart of St. Joseph be honored on the First Wednesday of each month. On March 30, 1958, he appeared to Sister Mildred and said:
I am the protector of the Church and the home, as I was the protector of Christ and His Mother while I lived upon earth. Jesus and Mary desire that my pure heart, so long hidden and unknown, be now honored in a special way. Let my children honor my most pure heart in a special manner on the First Wednesday of the month by reciting the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary in memory of my life with Jesus and Mary and the love I bore them, the sorrow I suffered with them. Let them receive Holy Communion in union with the love with which I received the Savior for the first time and each time I held Him in my arms.
Those who honor me in this way will be consoled by my presence at their death, and I myself will conduct them safely into the presence of Jesus and Mary.
So let us respond to the requests of St. Joseph and ask his intercession for the great gifts of God's protection, peace and presence.