(ANS – Rome) – Now that the Bicentenary of Don Bosco's birth is underway, August offers us, in Blessed Maria Troncatti, the testimony of a Salesian Sister who gave her entire life to the mission amongst the Shuar: Macas, Sevilla Don Bosco, Sucúa are amongst the most flourishing “miracles” of Sister Troncatti's activity.

25 August, Blessed Maria Troncatti

The life of this Salesian Sister and missionary who made the Amazonian jungle in Ecuador “the land of her heart”, shows “the grace of someone who has totally given of herself”. From the time she first encountered the spirit of Don Bosco at ten years of age through the Salesian Bulletin, which her primary school teacher gave her, and began to read about the missions, until her death on August 25, 1969 in a plane crash as she took off for Quito, her life was marked by total self-giving.

She left her family and home town behind to become a postulant on October 15, 1905 and never returned home. Even when she was 85 she wrote: “this detachment was something that cost me a lot: detachment from my parents, Superiors, town, language, everything; when I boarded the steamer I said goodbye forever. We will see each other again in heaven”.

This made her available for a life given on behalf of the people God entrusted to her, which would culminate in the supreme gift when she tried to bring peace between the Shuar natives and the white colonists: “These two races will never reconcile unless a victim is offered on their behalf,” she said. Her self-offering, kindled by the fire of a charity that stifled every fire of hatred and death, allowed the flame of mercy and peace to triumph.

Published 22/08/2014