Sister Maria Troncatti, weaver of forgiveness and peace

Rome (Italy). August 25, 2023 celebrates the birth into heaven of Blessed Sister Maria Troncatti (February 16, 1883 – August 25, 1969), Daughter of Mary Help of Christians missionary in Ecuador, whose dedication to the work of reconciliation between Shuar and settlers culminated in offering her life for this cause.

In March 1922, the Mother House of Nizza was in ferment with the celebrations of the 50^th anniversary of the foundation of the FMA Institute. Long meetings of the General Council were held to plan the celebrations and define new destinations and foundations.

Sr. Maria Troncatti was a member of that community and took care of the Sisters and the young women with her wisdom as an expert Red Cross nurse, veteran of the First World War of 1915-1918. In the girls’ infirmary, young Marina Luzzi was dying of double pneumonia. Insistently, she had asked to be taken to the Sisters to die in the house of Our Lady, under her mantle. Sister Maria watched over her day and night and when she realized that she was in her last moments, she entrusted her with her missionary dream to bring to Mary Help of Christians, “to go among the lepers”. As she was dying, the young woman prophesied that she would not go among the lepers but to Ecuador. In fact, three days after Marina’s death, the Superior General, Mother Catherine Daghero, upon meeting her, informed her that her destination was among the people and youth who inhabited the Ecuadorian Amazon forest.

Sister Maria left for the mission on 9 November 1922, at the age of 39, and departed from there for heaven on 25 August 1969. The prophecy of her destination strengthened her in giving herself without measure, beyond any human evaluation, certain that God wanted her there, in that land inhabited by two ‘adverse ethnic groups’, the white settlers and the indigenous Shuar. Different cultures, divergences, contrasts, abuses, meetings, promotions, collaborations committed her mother’s heart. She loved everyone without distinction and tried in every way to make them united.

In her 47 years of missionary life, she was a nurse, catechist, evangelizer. She had nothing before her but Jesus Crucified and the thirst to “give Him souls”. While she healed the wounds of the tortured bodies of the Shuar, who killed each other in the name of the law of the forest, vengeance, she tried in every way to speak of forgiveness, reconciliation, the Gospel. When the settlers lorded it over the natives, she also became a staunch defender of their rights and their social progress.

In the meantime, while caring for the one and the other, she helped them make serious examinations of conscience for a more Christian, more fraternal life. Even when she conversed with and advised the women settlers, she always tried to sow words of justice, fraternity, and equality among them. She knew that women could educate the younger generations to a more respectful coexistence and esteem between different cultures.

Furthermore, she arranged for the young Shuar and the ‘white’ girls to coexist in schools and boarding schools. Even in her outpatient clinics and in her ‘Pious XII’ hospital there were no separate treatments, as in use elsewhere, but everyone was on an equal footing, to receive the care of their “matricita“, as she was called.

In the forest, Sister Maria learned to weave to make clothes for those in need but also to weave humanity among her children who were so loved and so different. Towards the end of the 1960s, tensions between the two ethnic groups escalated over the land and the climate of hostility was rekindled. On 4 July 1969, some settlers set fire to the Salesian mission because they considered them the ‘protectors’ and promoters of the dignity of the Shuar.

Sister Maria suffered greatly from this event, which she feared was the beginning of a terrible catastrophe. She decided to offer herself to God as a victim of reconciliation between the two peoples she loved so much. She found no other way than the strength of love and self-giving. With the strength of persuasion and goodness, she managed to stop the incipient vendettas and to be listened to as a messenger of peace and forgiveness, a true miracle with an evangelical perfume.