Sister Anna Maria ND 4173 PDF Download
Anna Maria FORMENTINI
Holy Cross Province, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
Date and place of birth: February 18, 1925 Garibaldi, RS
Date and place of profession: February 12, 1947 Passo Fundo, RS
Date and place of birth: June 20, 2017 Casa Betânia, Não-Me-Toque, RS
Date and place of burial: June 21, 2017 Convent cemetery, Casa Santa Cruz, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
In 2017 Sister Anna Maria celebrated her Jubilee of Grace: 70 years as a Sister of Notre Dame; 70 years announcing the Word of God and witnessing to His goodness and provident care toward His people. “You have received free of charge, give free of charge,” said Jesus to the twelve when He sent them on mission.
The second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, from the liturgy of the day of funeral, was very suitable for Sister Anna Maria: “The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart – not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2Cor 9:6-7).
According to the sisters´ testimony, Sister Anna Maria was a person who sowed goodness, joy, flowers, well-being, and welcome, in particular, in her ministry as local superior, a service she held several times. Over many years and in a variety of places, she was a public school teacher, a ministry she performed until her retirement. Often, besides teaching, she was also the directress or the assistant in the boarding school. According to witnesses, she was demanding but kind, an inspiration for many. The words of the Prophet Daniel: “Those who have taught many people to do what is right will shine like the stars forever,” apply to the life and mission of our dear sister.
Anna Maria was the ninth child born to Maria Tombini and Jose Formentini. After her, the couple had five more children. In 1944, Anna Maria began her formation for religious life, making her first profession in 1947, in Passo Fundo, RS.
Since 2014, she lived at Casa Betania, the Province´s Health Care Center, where she carried out small tasks, but her special ministry was her missionary and apostolic prayer. We all knew of her manual skills, especially knitting. She made wonderful sweaters, which were given to the poor or to the sisters, while some were for her own use.
May the Heart of Jesus, to whom she nurtured great devotion, keep her in his mercy and love and grant her eternal life. May Mary, the Mother of Jesus, reward her for everything. May Sister Anna Maria intercede for vocations to the priesthood and religious life and, with the celestial choirs, may she sing eternal glory to God. May the good and provident God grant her peace and the eternal reward.
by Dreamhost