Campos Novos (Brazil). On 19 September 2023, at the Town Hall of Campos Novos, State of Santa Catarina, during the 47th ordinary session of the City Council, Sister Maria Ana Vegini, Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, Animator of Mary Help of Christians Community of Campos Novos of Our Lady Aparecida Province (BAP), received a “Motion of Appreciation”. Representatives of the Educating Community of the Colegio Auxiliadora of Campos Novos were present at the celebratory moment.
Maria Ana Vegini, born in Massaranduba (SC) on 28 January 1950, she grew up in a humble family, but one of great faith. It was in this environment that she met the Sisters and entered the FMA Institute. She made her first vows on 24 January 1971, in Sao Paulo.
In 1976, she first arrived in Campos Novos, where she worked as a school supervisor at the Auxiliadora School (1976-1977). After transferring from Campos Novos, she worked in other schools in the southern region and returned in 1982 for another two years. After contributing to other communities in Our Lady Aparecida Province, she returned for the third time in 1990 as a school supervisor and, in 1993, became the 9th Principal of the Auxiliadora School, holding the position until 1996. She then worked in other Educating Communities, and in 2014 she returned to Campos Novos where she took on the pastoral and Salesian assistance service, as well as being vicar of the Community. In 2015, she took on the animation service of the FMA Community and in 2022, also the role of Institutional Director of the Collegio Auxiliadora, a position she still holds.
The text of the Motion describes Sister Maria Ana as “a religious who lives her consecration to God with absolute fidelity and at the service of children and young people. Always very close, with her welcoming words and her example, she has educated entire generations in Auxiliadora School. Following the example of the founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Saint Mary Mazzarello who said, ‘Try to win many souls to Jesus with your works, your vigilance, and your work, but above all with your good example’. We can say that our FMA has won many hearts to God with her work and her example of life”.
The President of the Councilors and Past Pupil, João Batista Ramos de Almeida, concluded by thanking Sister Maria Ana with these words. “the school community of the Collegio Auxiliadora and the Camponovense population are grateful to her for her life among us”.
Sister Maria Ana Vegini is the Salesian Sister who worked the longest in Campos Novos: 22 years of educational service to children and young people, in the Salesian style of educating by evangelizing and evangelizing by educating, an example of dedication and commitment in faithfulness to the educational-pastoral project of the FMA.
Invited to speak, Sister Maria Ana spoke about her time in Campos Novos and her life dedicated to education. She expressed gratitude for the Motion received and for those who were part of her journey. “I would like to thank all those who were part of my life, because we educators, without the student, without the young person, without the pupil, we do not grow (…). I would also like to thank the Sisters of the Community who support us, encourage us, motivate us (…). I also thank the Sisters who have passed through the Colegio Auxiliadora (…) because our work it’s not personal. Every time we go to work for young people, we go on behalf of the community, not on our own”.
