Death, it is often said, comes like a thief in the night. In the case of Sr Ursula Marti of Bhuigaon, Vasai, death seemed to have stalked her for a while until she heard and answered the Lord’s summons in the early hours of Sunday 6 February to be at his side for aye. The Exequial Mass was held in the Convent Chapel on Monday 7 February, followed by burial in the Pauline enclosure at the Sewri Cemetery, where the outpouring of grief for this young Religious’ passing was overwhelming to say the least.

The Celebrant, Father Francis Dalmet, Superior of the Bandra community of the Society of Saint Paul, and himself a parishioner of Bhuigaon, echoed the people’s sentiments when he said that we all have just one question on our lips and over which our hearts burn with pain. That question is “Why?” to which of course, none of us has an answer.

Born the third of the four children of Anthony and Joanna Marti on 9 November 1969, Ursula completed her Higher Secondary education at Saint Catherine’s, Andheri, Mumbai before joining the Congregation of the Daughters of St Paul, Bandra on 1 August 1990. She made her First Religious Profession on 20 February 1995. After a brief stint in the Bangalore Community she proceeded to Goa for her apostolic and community experience. Two years of Theology later [JD Vidyapeeth, Pune], she proceeded to Rome with her five batch-mates to prepare for their perpetual profession which finally took place on 20 February 2003.

Speaking at the commencement of Mass, Sister Mary Joseph, Vice Provincial of the Daughters of Saint Paul, said that Ursula’s love for the Pauline Apostolate of the Media was unquestionable. Having ably assisted in the Audio Visual Department for a while, she really proved her mettle when she took charge of the same department. Hardworking and industrious by nature, she brought to her apostolic activity a lot of creativity. She executed her responsibilities with such sincerity and dedication as to demonstrate how well she had grasped the ideals of the Founder, Blessed James Alberione.

In time, music became become a passion with her, whereby she gave her all to the planning of the production of audio and video albums with due precision and meticulousness, making the maximum use of time, capabilities and resources for the good of the apostolate. It was evident that Ursula had an inborn talent for people management for she was seen to have had quite a way of coordinating the efforts of everyone in the department. Before long, she had to her credit four audio albums, two in Hindi and two in English. In fact, one of her compositions, viz. “Mera Jeevan” was sung during Communion at the funeral Mass. The hymn seemed to encapsulate so well her own understanding of salvation in Jesus —
“Mera Jeevan tumhara hai Prabhu;
Tu hee mera Jeeneka sahara hai Prabhu!
Tu ne muje jeevan diya
Tera pyar mujuko diya!”

All was well, miles of smiles wreathing Ursula’s face, her hearty laughter in turn filling the lives of those around her with joy, until tragedy struck. In February 2009 Ursula was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and then started a long period of painful surgical andmedical treatment and much suffering. And yet, even when her illness was at its excruciating worst, the courage and resilience she demonstrated as also her concern for others was simply remarkable. Ever grateful for all that was being done for her, Ursula always had a gracious smile for all in acknowledgement. Indeed, “the serenity that bathed her countenance especially during her last few days on earth was truly a gift from God who had been journeying with her.”

Death is so final, so invasive. Crudely snapping life’s ties ever so completely, death is a reality not easily acceptable. And yet, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to believe that 41 year-old Ursula has passed into the presence of Jesus, Divine Master, the Way she chose to walk, the Truth she strove to proclaim and the Life she tried to imitate. As for the pain and grief that had engulfed her parents and family, ‘We gave our little girl into the Lord’s service – wasn’t that enough, that he now had to take her away from our midst?’ could well be the thought uppermost in their minds. Needless to say, the shock evident on the countenance of every single mourner that morning reflected that sentiment.