I was born in Torino, Italy in 1911. I was born Francesca , a twin. My twin sister, Angelina, died a few days later. At the time of my Baptism, the priest said to my mother, "She will be a Sister". My mother never told me what the priest said until I made my vows as a Sister of the Incarnate Word.

Before leaving Italy, my mother took me to the tomb of St. Rita. At the time, my mother was carrying my sister, Margarita, after St. Rita. When I was almost two years old, my father and mother came to America. We boarded the ship, Annunciata, and finally landed in Galveston. My father bought 5 acres of land and a tractor in League City. Very soon, three of his brothers joined us. I had four sisters and two brothers. My mother and all of us children worked on the farm. Mother did the planting because she had a green thumb. Everything grew that she planted.

When I was about fifteen years old, my father took me to Galveston where I stayed with the Romero family who had a store where I worked and I also helped care for their children. At the same time, I went to St. Patrick School.

In 1928, my father died and my brothers and sisters went to live in the St. Mary's Orphanage in Galveston. Because I was too old to live at the Orphanage, I went to St. Joseph Hospital in Houston to live and work. At the hospital, I was assigned to work and share a room with Alice, who later became a Daughter of the Cross. While at the hospital, I used to sit and look at the beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes that was in the garden next to the dormitories. Little did I know that in a few years, I would be SISTER de LOURDES. My Mother worked at St. Joseph Hospital and I was sent to St. Mary's Hospital in Galveston for a short time while St. Joseph Hospital was being completed. Both places were home to me -- St. Mary's in Galveston and St. Joseph in Houston.

My mother moved into a house at 1916 Jackson Street. This allowed my sisters to attend Incarnate Word Academy and my brothers and I to live with my mother. For a time, we were family again. Because my sisters went to school at Incarnate Word Academy, I began to visit the Sisters there. Sister Agatha soon began to detect that I might have a vocation. Soon I met the Superior, Mother Angelique, and she gave me the date to enter the Convent.

On the Feast of Our Lady of Ransom, September 24, 1937, I entered the Convent at 4500 Bissonnet in Bellaire and my Religious Life began. I received the Holy Habit on May 26, 1938 from Bishop Byrne, and also a new name. Instead of Francesca Saracco, I was now Sister Mary de Lourdes. I spent the next two years as a Novice. After making Temporary vows in1940 and Final vows, I worked at Incarnate Word Academy for about thirteen years sewing and answering the door.

While at the Academy, I had a very powerful experience of God's care. One day while sewing with Sister Belinda and Sister Sebastian in the Community Room, I noticed a strange odor. The two Sisters did not detect anything. After looking around, I noticed an electric wire that was partially burned. I showed the two Sisters and we quickly went to tell Mother Angelique. The fire department was called and when the Fire Chief came, he said that the old Convent building would have caught fire and burned in a matter of minutes. Sometimes I think that noticing the strange odor and discovering the burnt wire was why God called me to be a Sister.

Now, at the age of ninety eight, I am still sewing a bit, especially making Raggedy Ann dolls and minor work on habits, etc, and some gardening. I thank God every day for my life and for His goodness to me.