Nazareth nun, catechist, first caretaker and custodian of the House of the Holy Father John Paul II.
She was born in 1935 in Szczekociny as Daniela Strzelecka and she was one of three children in the family of Antoni and Władysława. Her father, a shoemaker by profession, was a legionary of Józef Piłsudski and took part in the Polish-Soviet War in 1920. During it, he was wounded in a battle near Warszawa. During World War II, Sr Magdalena's family home served as a contact box for a Home Army post.
After completing primary schools, she attended the High School of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in Kielce. Soon after, in January 1957, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in Kielce. Her parents had divergent opinions about their daughter's decision, as her mother was against it, but her father supported her.
In 1959, she began her studies at the Higher Catechetical Institute in Kraków and obtained her degree at the Pontifical Academy of Theology. The first catechetical institution for the Sister was Piekoszów, then Kraków, and from 1976 Wadowice.
After arriving in Wadowice, she first worked briefly in the welfare home run by the Sisters, and then became catechist at the parish of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Wadowice. She worked as a religion teacher for a total of 25 years.
The municipal authorities appreciated the sister, and in 1997 she received a medal from Mayor Ewa Filipiak for her great contribution to the formation and religious education of many generations of Wadowice inhabitants.
From 1984 to 2010, together with three other sisters, she guided tourists and pilgrims to the Family Home of John Paul II. She introduced them to the figure of little Karol Wojtyła, later to become Pope John Paul II. In 1997 Sr. Magdalena was appointed Custos of the Papal Household.
From 1990, Sister Strzelecka and two of her sisters moved into a tenement house at 7 Kościelna Street in order to be completely involved in the affairs of the museum. For her sister, taking care of the Wojtyła family home was a real joy and honour.
Soon after Karol Wojtyła was elected Pope, his visits to his hometown took place. In June 1979, Sister Magdalena prepared the children who, with bouquets of flowers, welcomed the Holy Father with songs and poems.
Sister also visited the Vatican. Thanks to the establishment of a friendship with the Heart Sisters who ministered to the Holy Father, and especially with Sr Tobiana, the John Paul II Family House Museum received priceless gifts. The exhibition at the Papal House in Wadowice included a white papal cassock, a cardinal's robe and a rosary from Sr Lucia of Fatima.
In 2008, Sr Strzelecka was awarded a state decoration by the President of the Republic of Poland for her involvement in organising the visits of John Paul II and making a special contribution to maintaining the papal spirit in the region.
In 2010 Sr. Magdalena took up residence in the congregation's house at 31 Lwowska St. She continued to follow the life of the Church and willingly responded to all invitations to meetings. To the end of her life, Sister retained a beautiful custom. Early in the morning, as soon as dawn broke, she would go to the chapel and pray the rosary for the families.
She died in 2020 and was buried in the Wadowice parish cemetery.