At Sr Lawrencia’s wake in Stella Maris Convent for Senior Sisters, Tg Aru, Nov 15-17
By Linda Edward
Nov 20 2020
TANJUNG ARU – “Sr Lawrencia was a different person after her critical sickness about a year ago. That was in May 2019.
“She was gentler, kinder, receptive, still humorous. She makes us smile and laugh especially by the way she speaks, typical Dusun, and the way she does things, slow and careful.
“She is very committed to her little duties in the community. Soon after our Vespers, she will already lock all the doors and close the curtains in our living hall. Her other duty is refilling our water boiler every evening after dinner, which we appreciate very much.
“We miss her,” said Sr Grace Deosing.
Sr Lawrencia Gompuk, FSIC (Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception) is remembered for her kind gestures by her fellow Sisters of the congregation. Sr Grace particularly witnessed this at their home in Stella Maris Convent (Senior Sisters) here where Sr Lawrencia stayed from September last year until she breathed her last Nov 14 2020.
Sr Lawrencia, 63, has high blood pressure and diabetes which was under control and she was on medication for both health issues.
She went for her hospital review once in every three months. According to the Sisters at the convent, Sr Lawrencia went for her routine review on Friday, Nov 13 and everything seemed to be in order. She was advised by the doctor to take care of her food intake because of her diabetes. At the Convent on that day, she was as usual talking and mingling around.
On Saturday, Nov 14, she did not get up for prayer in the morning, which was normal because she would sometimes oversleep. The Sisters went to check on her and they found her unconscious. She was confirmed gone at 9.30 am due to hypertension and sequelae of stroke.
She was taken to the hospital for COVID-19 test on Saturday morning and according to the doctors it would take three days, but she was already released on Sunday morning.
The wake for Sr Lawrencia was kept at Stella Maris Convent starting Nov 15 until Nov 17. Archbishop John Wong presided the funeral service on Nov 17 in the presence of the FSIC community, her siblings and family members, relatives and friends.
She was buried at the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Mile 4 ½ in Jalan Penampang Lama.
There were also those who remember Sr Lawrencia because of her two brothers who also dedicated themselves to religious life: the late Bro Herbertus Gompuk, a La Sallian brother, who passed away in 2015 and Fr Valentine Gampok OFM, a capuchin priest now serving in St Pio’s Friary and Spirituality Centre, Ulu Tiram Johore.
Younger brother Fr Valentine could not fly home to bid his last farewell to Sr Lawrencia due to unavailability of flight, but presided a Requiem Mass at St Pio to honour his beloved sister.
To Sr Lawrencia, he said his final words, “Sr Lawrencia, goodbye, until we meet again. Continue to pray for me. We were great together serving the Lord and now I am left alone. Send my regards to our dear ones who have gone before us.”
Sr Lawrencia has been serving in most of the parishes (convents), assisting the parish priests and engaging in parish’s communities and activities. Her last assignment was at St Peter’s Convent in Kudat.
She was originally from Kg Mogong Tambunan, baptised as Sabina by the late Fr FP Cowan at St Theresa Church Tambunan, and took the name Lawrencia during her first profession on Nov 26, 1983 when she became a full member of the FSIC.
She celebrated her Silver Jubilee anniversary as a religious on Oct 4, 2008.
