Sister Maria Lucilla ND 5198 PDF Download
Formerly Sister Maria Carmelinda
Lucilla HECK
Holy Cross Province, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil
Date and Place of Birth: September 27, 1933 Cascalho, Chapecó, SC
Date and Place of Profession: February 12, 1959 Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death: October 15, 2025 Não Me Toque, RS
Date and Place of Burial: October 15, 2025 Sta Cruz Cemetery, Passo Fundo
“Love one another with brotherly affection, each of you regarding others as more worthy of honor. Serve the Lord, tireless in zeal, fervent in spirit, joyful in hope, persevering in tribulation, constant in prayer, sympathetic to the needs of others, practicing hospitality.” (Rom12:10-13)
This beautiful passage of Scripture delicately and truthfully reflects the life of our dear Sister Maria Lucilla, a woman of deep faith and a generous heart.
Lucilla was the fourth of eleven children born to Nicolau Heck Sobrinho and Rosa Schütz Heck, a humble and hard-working farming family. Her eldest brother, Avelino Heck — who passed away in 1997 — also dedicated his life to God as a priest in the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Family.
Answering the divine call, Lucilla entered the Novitiate in Passo Fundo on February 12, 1957. At her investment, she was given the name Sister Maria Carmelinda, later returning to her baptismal name. In January 2024, she joyfully celebrated her 65th anniversary of religious life.
With tireless dedication and generosity, Sister Maria Lucilla served in various communities and hospitals. She was known not only for her talent in the kitchen and her love for gardening, but also for her readiness to serve wherever she was needed. For 14 years, she conducted her ministry with love and zeal at a school in the city of Iraí, which was transformed into a boarding house during the holidays to welcome women seeking the benefits of the region’s thermal waters. She thoroughly handled every detail with care and affection — from preparing meals and ensuring guests´ comfort to offering a warm welcome and arranging transportation.
With her simple nature and attentive heart, Sister Maria Lucilla was a discreet, cheerful, and profoundly human presence. She expressed her affection through concrete gestures and was always concerned about the well-being of others. Her devotion to the Eucharist and to the Mother of God was deep and unwavering, with a special love for Our Lady of Good Counsel.
In 2012, already in fragile health, she moved to Casa Betânia, where she received attentive and loving care from the nursing team and her fellow sisters. In the last eight years of her life, even bedridden, she continued to radiate serenity and faith, offering a silent and powerful testimony of surrender and trust in God.
May our good and merciful God now welcome Sister Maria Lucilla with tenderness into eternal life and reward her for a life generously offered to all who had the grace to meet her.
Rest in peace!
