The remarkable story of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster’s biography has seized global attention in recent days.
Lancaster, a Catholic nun who established the religious order Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, peacefully passed away in 2019 at the age of 95.
However, her remains have been unearthed, and to the surprise of both the nuns and the faithful, there has been little indication of decay.
Emerging as an emerging point of interest and intense curiosity, thousands of devoted Catholics have been traveling to Gower, Missouri, where the Catholic nun’s remains have been exhibited.
Early Years and Calling
Wilhelmina Lancaster, born in St. Louis as Mary Elizabeth Lancaster on April 13, 1924, was the second of five children of Oscar and Ella Lancaster.
Her vocation to religious life emerged when she was just nine years old, following her first communion.
As per an autobiography revealed by the religious order she established, Lancaster recounted that she had a vision in which ‘Our Lord asked me if I would be His.’
She immediately consented, and then He directed her to ‘meet Him every Sunday at Holy Communion.’
For Lancaster, that moment was pivotal, and she decided to become a nun when her priest inquired if she had pondered religious life.
As a young girl, she corresponded with the Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore expressing her desire to pursue her vocation.
However, she had to wait until she completed high school before advancing in her religious call.
Growing up in a segregated St. Louis was challenging for Wilhelmina Lancaster.
She encountered adversity when she was mocked with the racial nickname ‘chocolate drops’ while in a white neighborhood on her way home from school.
- Also see: Stephen Laine: Biography, Early Life, Bankruptcy & Lawsuit
To prevent enrolling her in a public school, her parents founded St. Joseph’s Catholic High School for Negroes, ensuring she could continue her education.
Lancaster’s parents played a key role in establishing the school, and she graduated as its valedictorian.
She proceeded to commence training with the Oblate Sisters of Providence in 1941, affirming her vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience with the order on March 9th, 1944, and then adopting a new name, ‘Wilhelmina,’ in honor of her pastor, Fr. William Markoe, who inspired her to pursue her vocation.
Decades with the Oblate Sisters of Providence
Over her 50 years with the Oblate Sisters of Providence, Lancaster worked as a school teacher and archivist and was involved in the Mount Providence Center of Music and General Culture.
She steadfastly advocated for upholding the order’s traditions, particularly the use of the full habit, during a time when some sisters were inclined to veer away from the habit and modernize their attire.
Lancaster believed that maintaining the full habit was an indispensable aspect of her religious calling.
She fashioned parts of her habit from a plastic bleach bottle, which proved crucial when a troubled student flung a knife at her, and it was deflected by the stiff, high-necked collar of the garment.
Despite resistance, Lancaster ardently supported the full habit and fashioned her own, inspiring many other sisters to reintroduce full habits within the order.
Establishment of the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles
Lancaster’s unwavering determination and conviction regarding traditional religious practices ultimately led her to establish the Benedictine order in 1995, named the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.
This devout contemplative order upholds the Rule of St. Benedict and flourishes under her legacy.
The order lays a stronger emphasis on unceasing prayer, particularly the chanting of Gregorian chant, as well as observance of a strict daily prayer routine adhered to by all its members.
Lancaster’s leadership abilities, coupled with her dedication to the Church’s traditional practices, laid the groundwork for a flourishing monastery.
She gave rise to a religious order that is likely to continue making a significant impact on the faithful and religious scholars for decades to come.
Exhumation of Sister Wilhelmina’s body
The exhumation of Sister Wilhelmina’s body was unexpected, and the revelation of its state of preservation triggered a surge of interest and fascination.
The nuns of the order had not anticipated such intact remains, presuming they would only find bones as she was buried in a simple wooden coffin and was not embalmed.
She was discovered with a perfectly preserved religious habit, astounding everyone involved.
The nuns had not intended to publicize the discovery, but news of it swiftly spread.
The monastery released a statement detailing their intentions to place her body in a glass shrine in their church.
The local diocese emphasized that her remains should not be treated as relics or venerated until an investigation is concluded, though the nature of the investigation is unclear.
The Enigma of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster’s Unblemished Remains
Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster’s biography and remarkable preservation have sparked widespread interest and raised significant questions among the faithful.
Lancaster’s unblemished body has been perceived by some as a potential miracle, as it remained relatively fresh even after nearly two years in the ground.
The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, who managed the convent where Lancaster lived and passed away, permitted visitors to touch her body while it was still visible.
On Monday, they transferred her body into a glass shrine in the convent’s church, where visitors could still view her body but were prohibited from touching it.
Faith-driven visitors flock to witness the unblemished remains
Thousands of people have flocked to the town of Gower, Missouri, traveling from across the country to see and interact with Lancaster’s body.
Volunteers and local law enforcement have been assisting in managing the crowds.
Catholic visitor Samuel Dawson, who visited Kansas City with his son, shared his observations of the visit, noting the presence of hundreds of people, some from out of state, and found the setting to be peaceful and respectful.
The religious order, overseeing the flow of visitors and monitoring the situation, expressed that the nuns ‘wished to make her accessible to the public… because in real life, she was always accessible to people.’
The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph also issued a statement acknowledging that the condition of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster’s remains has understandably sparked widespread interest and raised important questions.
They have urged to safeguard the integrity of the mortal remains of Sister Wilhelmina and allow for a thorough investigation.
Validation of incorruptibility and the Sainthood process
Lancaster has not yet met the required minimum of five years since death for the official commencement of the sainthood process.
However, it should be noted that incorruptibility has been verified in the past, but it is rare and necessitates a well-established process for pursuing the sainthood cause.
The process has not yet been initiated in Lancaster’s case.
The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles stated that Lancaster had expressed her wish to be buried among her community on the convent grounds.
Therefore, when plans were made to incorporate a St. Joseph shrine at the convent, she was relocated, and upon exhumation, her body was found to be well-preserved.
Rebecca George, an anthropology instructor at Western Carolina University in North Carolina, noted that the ‘mummification’ of un-embalmed bodies is common at the university’s facility and the bodies could stay preserved for many years if allowed to.
Coffins and clothing also aid in preserving bodies, she explained.
It is remarkable that Lancaster’s body has been preserved even without advanced preparation techniques or being housed in a coffin.
Preservation is not uncommon
According to George, the preservation of un-embalmed bodies is not as rare as commonly believed.
She affirmed, ‘Typically, when we bury people, we don’t exhume them. We don’t get to look at them a couple of years out,’ adding that after 100 years, there might be nothing left.
Therefore, when considering just a few years, it is not surprising to find that bodies may remain well-preserved even after death.
However, despite the potential scientific explanations, the Catholic faithful continue to marvel at the unblemished remains of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, embracing the almost timeless figure to explore the mystery and wonder of incorruptibility.
The rarity of her incorruptible body will continue to be at the heart of this debate and kindle widespread discussion about the mysteries of faith.
Wow, this biography on Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster sounds absolutely fascinating! I can’t wait to dive into the mind-boggling discovery that is mentioned in the title. It’s always intriguing to learn about individuals who have made groundbreaking discoveries, and I’m curious to find out what Sister Wilhelmina’s contribution to the world is. The text has definitely piqued my interest, and I’m excited to read more about her life and achievements.