ON BLESSED HASEKA, VIRGIN RECLUSE IN WESTPHALIA.
Year 1261.
PrefaceHaseka, Virgin recluse in Westphalia (Bl.)
[1] Haseka died in the year 1261, having lived as a recluse for thirty-six years at Schermbeck, on the borders of the Duchy of Cleves, not far from the River Lippe, between Wesel and Bocholt, under the obedience of the monastery of Sichem of the Cistercian Order, whose habit she wore. Feast of Bl. Haseka: The Carthusians of Cologne record her feast on this day in their additions to Usuard in these words: Likewise, of blessed memory, Haseka, Virgin recluse, who, serving the Lord near the church in Schermbeck in great simplicity and patience, at a certain time rendered butter corrupted by age most fresh again by her prayer. The German Martyrology: Likewise, of blessed memory, the Virgin and recluse Haseka, who, enclosed near the church in Schermbeck, served God in great simplicity and patience. The manuscript Florarium: At the monastery of Sichem, of St. Haseka, Virgin.
[2] Ferrari records her on January 25 in these words: At the monastery of Sicheracum (more correctly in the Notes, Sichem, or Sychenen; but he errs in supposing this to be the town of Sichem in Brabant near Diest and Scherpenheuvel) of St. Haseka, Virgin. Werner Rolevinck, a Carthusian who died 138 years ago, in book 3 of his work On the Customs of the Westphalians, chapter 8, enumerating men illustrious for sanctity in that region, The title of Saint long attributed to her: writes thus of Haseka: At the monastery of Sychem, St. Haseka near Schermbeck, who had a devout handmaid named Bertha.
[3] We obtained the Life of Blessed Haseka from a manuscript codex of the Carthusian house of Cologne, which Hermann Grefgenius had written with his own hand, her life. who died on November 5, 1480, and is reported to have chiefly compiled that supplement to Usuard which we frequently cite under the name of the Carthusians of Cologne, of which he was a member. The same life exists in manuscript at the Carthusian house of Koblenz.
LIFE
from the manuscript of the Carthusian house of Cologne.
Haseka, Virgin recluse in Westphalia (Bl.)
BHL Number: 3760
From manuscript.
[1] Haseka lives 36 years as a recluse, Blessed Sister Haseka, originally from the regions of the Rhine, persevering in the purity and glory of virginity, remained enclosed for thirty-six years near the church in Schermbeck, which is close to the monastery of Sichem. Receiving her daily sustenance from there and by the labor within her capacity, she passed her life in great simplicity and singular patience; always studiously providing and taking care that whatever God had bestowed upon her by the bestowal of singular grace should be concealed, and storing up the fruits of her labors in heaven, not in the untrustworthy custody of human lips and mouths, lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt her.
[2] But those things which the Lord willed to be revealed for the glory of His name have been recorded as known. For once, when butter had been given to her for God's sake and for the labor of herself and her fellow servant — butter that was foul and corrupted by age — she renders foul butter most fresh by her prayers: and after some days it had been placed in a chest, and Sister Bertha, her attendant, could neither endure nor tolerate the stench, she prepared to remove it from herself in whatever way she could. When Sister Haseka discovered this, she fell to her knees and said: Lord, this butter, whatever it may be, we shall eat in your name. All things are placed in your dominion; by your power and virtue you draw good from evil when you will. You can also make this butter good, if you will. When therefore they had sat at the humble little table as the place allowed — one within, the other without — the butter, when brought forth, was found to be as fresh as if it had been churned from milk that very day. Blessing Almighty God, therefore, they ate it with joy and gladness of heart on each successive day.
[3] she dies in the year 1261. When Blessed Sister Haseka had chosen burial at the monastery of Sichem, being bound to that place by holy obedience (since throughout the whole time of her religious life she wore the habit of the monks of that place which she had chosen), and in the year of grace 1261, on the seventh day before the Kalends of February, had fallen asleep in the Lord, the Brothers of the monastery — both monks and lay brothers — came with a wagon and wished to take the body of their foster child for burial. But a certain black monk, at that time celebrating the divine offices there, acting on behalf of his own monastery, summoned the strength and force of the peasants and did not permit this to happen. And so, with the Brothers dissembling the injury done to them, he buried her in the church on the third day.
[4] she is transferred, When the matter had come to the notice of the diocesan Bishop, he ordered, even by letters under the bond of obedience, that the body be given to the monastery. When therefore the monks came solemnly to the gate of the monastery for the reception of the body, and seculars of both sexes were present, they saw the face of the sacred Virgin, long after death, uncorrupted and lifelike: who had been dead and buried for many days, so lifelike and rosy that she seemed like a young woman just bathed, not a dead old woman. And her body was so free from all stench that all who were present and saw her placed in the sepulcher and soon to be covered with earth marveled greatly. Blessed Sister Haseka died on the night following the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle and was buried under a broad stone at the entrance of the chapter house of the monastery of Sichem on the thirteenth day of March. By her merits and prayers before the Lord we believe and trust that we are aided.
[5] The sacred handmaid of God appeared after her death in a dream to a certain noble and devout widow, saying to her: Do not harbor doubt, but believe most firmly, she appears to a certain matron: and by no means doubt that whoever shall have recourse to my memory shall, by the grace of God, obtain help in their necessities and distresses. When that woman, awakened from sleep and congratulating herself on the vision, had lightly fallen asleep again, she saw the blessed Virgin repeating the same words with the greatest constancy, so that the repetition of the speech might prove the affirmation of the truth. she is invoked by many. Nor do we believe the hand of God to have been extended only thus far, but rather that it will be extended further for the glory of His name. For already the faithful send lights to her tomb and come for the relief of their ailments. Amen.