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file:///C:/Users/Aboody/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png[/img] <blockquote>
[b][font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif].
In the Monastery of St. Simon El Qarn in Aito (1871 - 1897)[/font][/b]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] While
living in Maad and following a crisis in her congregation, Rafqa asked
God to guide her to the right decision. Entering at St. George Church,
to pray for help, she heard the Lord’s voice telling her: [b]"You will remain a nun"[/b]. In the same night,
she dreams and see St. George, St. Simon the stylit and St. Anthony the Great, the
Father of monasticism. St. Anthony the Great told her: [b]"Enter into the Lebanese Maronite Order"[/b].[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] Her trip from Maad to the Maronite Monastery of St. Simon El Qarn in Aito was
facilitated by the generosity of Mr. Antoun Issa. She was immediately admitted in the Order. She wore the novice robe
on July 12[sup]th[/sup], 1871 and pronounced her solemn vows on August 25[sup]th[/sup], 1872. She chose the name [b]"Sister Rafqa"[/b], after her mother.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] She spent 26 years in the monastery of St. Simon. She was a role model to the other nuns in her
observation of the rules and her devotion to prayer and silence. Her life was full of sacrifice and austerity.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] On the first Sunday of October 1885, she entered the monastery's church and began
to pray asking Jesus to permit her to experience some of the sufferings He
endured during His Passion. Her prayer was immediately granted: Unbearable pain began in her head and moved to her eyes.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] Her
Superior insisted that she undergoes a medical treatment. After all
local attempts to cure her had failed, she was sent to Beirut for
treatment. Passing by St. John-Marcus Church in Byblos, her companions
learned that an American doctor was in the area. So they took her to
him. He ordered an immediate surgery for her right eye. St. Rafqa
refused anesthesia. In the course of the surgery, the doctor uprooted
by mistake her eye which fell on the floor. Rafqa did not complain and
told him: [b]"For Christ's Passion, God bless your hands and may God pay you back"[/b]. Within a short time, the disease struck the left eye.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] For
the next 12 years she continued to experience intense pain in her head.
Throughout this period, as before, she remained patient and
uncomplaining, praying in joy for the gift of sharing in Jesus’
suffering.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9] [img(300px,200px)]
http://www.strafqa.org/bio/pics1/3aito300200.jpg[/img][font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][b]Old Mar Semaan Al Qarn Monastery, Aito[/b][/size][/font][/size][/font]
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[right][font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][url=http://www.strafqa.org/bio/biog3.htm#top]Top of Page[/url][/size][/font][/right]
</blockquote>
[b][font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif].
In St. Joseph Monastery Al Dahr in Jrabta (1897 - 1914)[/font][/b]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] When
the Lebanese Maronite Order decided to build the monastery of St.
Joseph al Dahr in Jrabta - Batroun in 1897, six nuns - presided by
Mother Ursula Doumit - were sent to the new monastery. Rafqa was among
them.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] In
1899, she lost the sight in her left eye and became paralyzed. With
this, a new stage of her suffering began, intensified by the
dislocation of her articulations. She spent the last seven years of her
life lying on the bed, only on the right side of her body. She could
not move. There was a very big injury in her left shoulder and she used
to repeat: [b]"For the wound in the shoulder of Jesus"[/b]. Her vertebras
were visible through her skin and her body was very light. She became
like a skeleton covered by skin. Her hands stayed intact; she used them
to weave socks.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] Although she was blind and paralyzed she kept smiling and thanking God for His grace of letting her participate in His Passion.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] Her face reflected peace and tenderness until the end of her days.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] According to some doctors, Rafqa suffered from an osteo-articular tuberculosis.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] On the 23[sup]rd[/sup]
of March 1914, supplied with the Holy Sacrament, she called upon Jesus,
the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, then she rested in peace after a life
of prayer, service and years of unbearable pain. She was buried in the
monastery's cemetery. A splendid light appeared on her grave for three
consecutive nights. With the intercession of St. Rafqa, Our Lord made
lots of miracles and blessings.[/size][/font][/size][/font]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9][font:35dd=Verdana][size=9] On July 10[sup]th[/sup], 1927, her body was transferred to the monastery's church.
The case related to her beatification was submitted to the Vatican on the 23[sup]rd[/sup] of December 1925 and the canonical investigation of her life began on May 16[sup]th[/sup], 1926. [/size][/font][/size][/font][table:35dd class="posting-table" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"][tr][td:35dd height="10" valign="top"]
[/td] [/tr] [tr] [td:35dd valign="top"] [url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/javascript:popUp('vat2/vhp.htm')]
[font:35dd=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=9]RAFQA in the Vatican[/size][/font]
[/url]
[/td] [td:35dd valign="top"] [url=https://algassania2.mam9.com/javascript:popUp('living/livhp.htm')]
[img(150px,150px)]
http://www.strafqa.org/photog/mmarta.jpg[/img][/url][/td][/tr][/table]
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