(ANS –Vatican City, 12th Nov 2008) – A few days before the conclusion of the General Chapter of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, expected on 15 November, the Holy Father has asked the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to publish the  Decree on the heroicity of the life and virtues of Sr. Maria Troncatti, a Salesian Sister, born at Corteno Golgi in the Province of Brescia on 16 February 1883.  

The Decree which bears the date 8 November, was signed and made public today, 12 November, when Archbishop Angelo Amato, Prefect of the same Congregation and Bishop Michele Di Ruberto, Secretary, signed it in the Hall of  Congresses, in the presence of the new Superior General, Mother Yvonne Reungoat, of the former Mothers Generals and the Councillors. Also present was Sr. Piera Cavaglià, Moderator of the Chapter  and Secretary General, the Postulator of the Salesian Family, Fr Enrico dal Covolo, and the Vice Postulator Sr Giuliana Accornero. 

The new Venerable – at present the ninth in the Salesian Family immediately after Margaret Occhiena, the Mamma of Don Bosco – is a fascinating example of a missionary. Her special field of work was among the Shuar peoples, in the south east region of Ecuador. There she spent more than forty years from 1925 until her death, undertaking an enormous work of evangelisation, in the midst of all kinds of dangers She was a nurse, surgeon, orthopedician, dentist and anaesthetist; but above all she was an exceptional catechist, full of faith, of patience and Salesian loving kindness. She worked effectively for the emancipation of the Shuar women. 

On 25 August 1969 Sr Maria was in a plane on the way to make her retreat. Shortly after take off the plane crashed. The radio of the Shuar Federation gave the sad news: “Sister Maria Troncatti, our little Mother is dead …”. 

In these last few days the acts of the diocesan enquiry into a presumed miracle  of a cure in the Archdiocese of Portoviejo – also in Ecuador - through the intercession of Sr. Troncatti have arrived at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. If the Roman enquiry is concluded positively the heroic missionary of the Shuar should in a short time reach the honours of the altar.

-- 唐嘉蒂修女生平(中文)

-- 唐嘉蒂修女生平(英文) 


慈幼會中華會省