Sister Maria Troncatti: a Mother’s heart

Rome (Italy). The Commission for liturgical spiritual history, set up in view of the canonization of Sister Maria Troncatti (1883-1969), has worked out an itinerary to get to know better the figure of the Blessed, her message and her actuality – starting from the slogan “Mother, missionary, artisan of peace and reconciliation” – with a video and a module for further reflection proposed on the 25^th of each month, both  in memory of her birth into heaven.

After the first video, introductory to her origins and the early years of her life, in the 2^nd stage, with the interview with Mr. Cosimo Cossu – Salesian Coadjutor, missionary for 20 years in Ecuador, where he was able to share the last three years of the life of Sister Maria Troncatti – her spiritual motherhood is highlighted, the result of her encounter with Jesus and her becoming a “helper” among the people.

Hers was a true mother’s heart. All those who needed her were welcomed without distinction, Colonists and Shuar found in her a word of consolation, a maternal gaze, a deep listening to their difficulties. Just as a mother has more attention for her weaker son, so Sister Maria had an eye of predilection for the most needy and disinherited: women, children, orphans, people in difficulty were the object of her care. Caring for the sick, educating and saving children was her mission. In the course of her life, she had given everything to others and kept nothing for herself. Her true wealth was relationships with people. Even as an older woman, like a real mother, she was visited by her beloved “children”.

“I can no longer work – she said – but I am happy to stay with my poor savages: they are always sick in the hospital; they always come from far away to visit me.”

Anyone could find the beloved “abuelita” (grandma) on the threshold of the Hospital “Pius XII” – by her strongly wanted – sitting, now with swollen legs, ready to welcome everyone. As a Salesian missionary she had learned to love Christ passionately, demonstrating the same passionate love in concrete gestures of every day to the people to whom she was sent.

In 1922, in Nizza Monferrato, the young student Marina Luzzi, now at the end of her life, had foretold to her the land where she would live the Da mihi animas cetera tolle. Sister Maria, who was assisting her as a nurse, had been perplexed, but after a few days she received the message from Mother Caterina Daghero: she would be a missionary in the Ecuadorian jungle. Don Bosco’s words in the letter from Rome of 1884 would have marked her presence among those people:

“It is not enough to love… but they themselves must realize that they are loved.”

Sister Maria, with her motherhood, with great humility, with listening and loving-kindness, had won the hearts of all. Her concern was to be able to always bring relief. She could not remain indifferent to any kind of suffering, but immediately brought help and comfort as a “true mother”.

It is her motherhood that  the young Salesian Cosimo Cossu experienced, recipient of the last letter written by Sister Maria on the eve of her death – occurred in Sucúa, Ecuador, on 25 August 1969, due to an air accident – with the best wishes for his feast day before her departure to Quito.

The material is offered to be used, expanded, and adapted to contexts to promote knowledge of the figure of Sister Maria Troncatti in the educating communities, among young people, in the local Church, and in the territory of belonging. The module is prepared by Sister Eliane Petri with a group of FMAs from the Mother Canta House Spirituality Course. The video is translated into the main languages. You can select subtitles from YouTube.

Module 2