SISTER THERESE OF THE INFANT JESUS (IRENE BASTIN)

Irene Bastin was born on 5 July 1901 at Saint Vinvent in Luxembourg.  Her family was Christian.

At the outbreak of the First World War both her parents were arrested and Irene looked after the entire family all during the difficult war years.

After the war, on 16 July 1919, she entered the Carmelite Order and was given the religious name of Therese of the Infant Jesus.  She lived her consecrated life with outstanding fervour for 20 years in Virton.

The 7 May 1940, Sister Therese was transferred to the Convent of Seoul in Korea and on 17 October 1949 was elected Sub-Prioress there.  The Korean War broke out the following year.  All the priests and nuns were arrested and deported to the concentration camp in Pyeongyang.

From there they were moved to Junggang-jin.  During this arduous and cold journey, Therese accompanied and assisted Sister Mary Mechtilde.  She herself became ill and a few days after the death of Mechtilde, she too died.  It was the 29 November 1950 and she was just 49 years old.

SISTER MECHTILDE OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT (DEVRIESE)

Godelieve Devriese was born in Flanders (Belgium) on 12 February 1889.  She was brought up by her mother alone and worked as a seamstress with her sisters.

As Godelieve grew older she became enamoured of the spiritual life and entered the Carmelite Order at Ypres on 21 November 1906.  Her name in religion became Sister Mary Mechtilde of the Blessed Sacrament.  She made her Profession on 14 December 1908.  She was a very discerning woman and delighted at being at the service of others in a spirit of fraternal/sisterly love.

When the convent of Ypres was closed due to the First World War, Mechtilde transferred to the convent in Aire sur l’Adour (France).  Two years later she moved to Turkey, but again due to the war, that convent was also closed down.  She returned to France where she was elected Prioress for 6 years.

When she had terminated her term as Prioress and in response to a request from the Korean church that some Carmelite Nuns might be sent to their country, Mechtilde and a Sister Mary Madeleine departed for Korea in 1939.  She learned the Korean language with the Pauline Sisters in Seoul and, on 25 March 1940, she founded the first Carmelite monastery there.

In 1949 she passed on the role of Prioress to Sister Marie Therese and the Korean War broke out the following year.  Mechtilde had already lived through 2 wars and moved residences, but this time she decided to remain where she was, trusting in God’s will. 

On 15 July 1950, she, with the priests and other sisters, was arrested by the North Korean military.  They were condemned and transferred to the concentration camp in Pyeongyang.  Mechtilde developed pneumonia from the cold and exhausting journey, but particularly from the ill-treatment at the hands  of the military. 

On their arrival at Hachang-li, despite the care of Sr. Marie Therese, Mechtilde, died as her fellow Christians prayed, on the 18 November 1950.