Our first visit to Maria Ratschitz was in 2005.
We returned again in 2006.
Maria Ratschitz is one of four convents operated by the Nardini Sisters in South Africa. It is located in a very rural area near a town called "Ladysmith."
Maria Ratschitz is more than 100 years old. During the apartheid years, the facility had deteriorated. But in the early 1990's, the buildings were rennovated (funded by a private donation from overseas.)
The sisters at Maria Ratschitz are doctors, nurses and social workers. They work to help those in need throughout the surrounding community. They also operate a hospice where those who are dying, usually of AIDS, have the support they need until the end.
Those who visit this beautiful compound cannot help but feel a tremendous sense of peace.
