Sister Faustina Kowalska: Her LIfe and MIssion

th e description of the s is te r who received h e r when she f irs t knocked a t the door of h e r Congregation. This picture can be con trasted w ith ano ther, more favour­ able, from the same period. I t is no t based upon a f irs t impression, b u t arises from hav ing frequen tly m e t her: "Helenka gave me the impression tha t she was a good, discreet girl, w ith some great inner authority which I could not explain", writes Dr K a tha rine Steinberg, la te r to become a Franciscan nun a t Laski. She had often seen Helenka a t the house of h e r friend Mrs Lipszyc, where Helenka was employed for a yea r as a maid. This was Helenka’s la s t post. She w en t s tra ig h t from there into th e convent. O thers confirm t h a t some tim e had to elapse before one noticed Helenka, b u t then she drew one to h e r by h e r tru s t in g and open a ttitud e , and even made people curious by h e r seriousness and m a tu rity , both above average. The f irs t impression was of h e r beau tifu l copper- sheened h a ir , ga thered into a thick plait. From a fairly regu lar face with a strong chin, all ra th e r pale and freckled, grey-green eyes w ith enormous pupils th a t reflected warm th and in te re s t looked out. Hers was a cheerful open face, lightened even more by frequen t smiles. Closer observation showed the liveliness and changeability of expression in h e r eyes, which eloquent­ ly revealed h e r feelings. By n a tu re lively, joyous, and even impulsive in h e r reactions, w he ther of laugh te r or tea rs , she was, nevertheless, controlled and qu ie t in he r movements to the point where someone even called he r "phlegmatic". She was above average in h e r behaviour, reactions and personality, so th a t f i rs t ind ifferen t impressions of h e r quickly gave way to a friendly in terest. 15