Sr. Mary Raymond (Anna Kukołowicz)

She was born on August 24, 1892 in Barwaniszki near Vilnius, which at the time, was under Russian rule. Only for a few months did she attend the village school. Afterwards she studied at home. Priests at the time would in fact recommend to her parents that they not send their children to Russian schools. Before joining the Community Anna helped her parents on the homestead and was an aspirant for two years in Vilnius. She joined the congregation in Vilnius in November of 1918. Her novitiate took place in Grodno where in March of 1922 she made her first vows. She also took her perpetual vows there in March 1928. Sister Raymond was usually delegated to do household chores such as: cleaning, dining room (cafeteria), and farming. She spent time at various sites of the congregation: Vilnius, Stryj, and Rabka. After 1934 she arrived at her last assignment in Nowogrodek. She cleaned in the school, and, as needed, helped in the kitchen, laundry, and the garden. Sister Celina, the Superior in 1938/1939, perceived Sister Raymond thus: “she worked like an ant despite her rheumatic ailments. Having a fiery temperament she burst out with impatience more than once, but how well was she able to humble herself and apologize to the sisters for her unpleasantness.” (Memoirs of Sister Celina, AG CSFN). During the war years, when the Sisters’ school building was taken over by a soviet grade school with Polish as its language Sister Raymond cleaned that school and ran a breakfast buffet. During the German occupation she helped with household and farming duties and spun flax and wool.