Sister Maria Mathilde ND 4444 Mathilde+E
Mathilde CASTRO
Our Lady Aparecida Province, Canoas, RS, Brazil
Date and Place of Birth: December 31, 1926 Campo Grande, MT
Date and Place of Profession: July 18, 1950 Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death: July 14, 2024 Recanto Aparecida, Canoas, RS
Date and Place of Burial: July 15, 2024 Convent Cemetery, Canoas
The Lord is good, and His mercy is everlasting. (Ps 100:5)
With profound love and unwavering devotion, Sister Maria Mathilde dedicated 74 of her 97 years to the Lord in religious life. On July 14, at 11:30 a.m., she peacefully completed her earthy journey. Her life, marked by achievements and victories as well as struggles and hardships, culminated in a moment of profound grace. As Jesus became the Eucharistic presence on the altar during Sunday Mass, Sister Maria Mathilde celebrated her final encounter with God.
On the last day of 1926, Pablo de Castro and Júlia Wischman de Castro welcomed Mathilde, the third of their eight children. Mathilde grew up in a totally Christian environment. Her father was a carpenter while her mother took care of their home. In her early years, Mathilde accepted a job performing domestic services to help support her family. Her employers, noticing her difficulty with certain tasks, referred her to an ophthalmologist, who diagnosed severe myopia. Once she received glasses, Mathilde described her transformative experience: “I was able to see the light. When I walked among the flowers, I noticed their color. I contemplated nature and noticed its beauty, which I had never seen before.” From then on, her duties became easier.
At the age of 21, Mathilde became a postulant of the Sisters of Notre Dame. She began her ministry in Education as a second-year novice teacher in primary schools. She also attended teacher training classes that qualified her as a primary education coordinator and later enabled her to teach in high school. In 1974, after graduating in Practical Arts, she applied her knowledge of domestic practices in several schools.
After retiring from formal classroom education, Sister Maria Mathilde embarked on a new ministry of visiting poor families and teaching crafts to various groups. In 2011, she joined the community of Recanto Aparecida where she busied herself with small community services. In recent years, she was still able to make baby clothes with perfection. She loved reading and was frequently found immersed in good books. Although physically weakened by age and illness, her memory remained active and clear until the end of her life.
The 13 years spent in the Recanto Aparecida community with the elderly Sisters helped her achieve greater human-spiritual integration. Silent and grateful, Sister Maria Mathilde was always present for community gatherings. Even in her old age, she attended Mass and participated in community prayer whenever possible.
Sister maintained good relations with her family members, despite the distance. It was a special joy when her only sister, who was also elderly, together with her nephews visited from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso. May the good and provident God, in his goodness and mercy, grant her eternal rest.
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