Sister Maria Lidwina Kilp - Emmanuel von Ketteler Province

We exalt your Providence o Lord and we commit ourselves to making your Providence more visible in our world.

Dear Sisters, members of her family and care givers,

Sister Maria Lidwina Kilp, given name Elisabeth
was born on March 26, 1936, in Sinzig-Westum,
She departed peacefully on Monday, Dec. 19, 2016.

When the extensive reconstruction work in Mainz-Finthen began in May 2015 Sister Maria Lidwina had to leave her community house where she had lived and worked for many years. She went to the to the Motherhouse in Mainz. Shortly after that, cancer was diagnosed during a hospital stay. She decided not to take any further treatments.

In 1957 Elisabeth Kilp entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Divine Providence in Mainz and received the name Sister Maria Lidwina. After her first Profession on September 8th, 1960 she was sent to the academy in Paderborn to be educated a home economist. After she received her license she worked for 13 years in the kitchen of the nursing home in Gau-Algesheim and on evenings she gave classes of home economics for young women. In 1977 she was assigned to the convent in Finthen, our foundation place, and was the head of the kitchen until her retirement. After her duties were taken over by employees,  her possibility to help was limited by the increasing impairment of her eyesight.

During the years of her retirement she always was in contact with her relatives and friends. In the last three years, she was no longer able to spend her vacation time with her dear sister but she maintained the telephone contact regularly until the last days of her life.

Her final days were spent at the infirmary in Aschaffenburg where she enjoyed the community, but she hoped that she could come back to Finthen. In March 2016, she celebrated her 80th birthday together with family members and the Sisters of her community. 

Sister Lidwina lived with confidence and trust in God’s Providence and her presence was characterized by her sense of humor and her joy to sing with others. We will miss Sister Lidwina with her encouraging humor and her willingness to share with the Sisters of her community and we are sure she will be a faithful advocate on the throne of God for all of us.

Liturgy of Resurrection is on Friday, December 23, 2016 in the Chapel of Aschaffenburg.
The liturgy will be followed by the burial at the Old Cemetery in Aschaffenburg.

Mainz-Finthen, December 22nd 2016

Sr. Clementine Fritscher
Provincial Superior