Sister Mary Trina

Sister  Mary  Trina                 ND 5267             ⇒ PDF Download
Marie Carmela LIVIGNANO
(natural sister of Sister Josetta Marie)

Christ the King Province, Chardon, Ohio, USA

Date and Place of Birth:           July 23, 1937                Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Profession: August 16, 1959           Cleveland, Ohio
Date and Place of Death:         September 6, 2013       Health Care Center, Chardon
Date and Place of Funeral:     September 14, 2013    Chardon, Ohio
Date and Place of Burial:         September 16, 2013    Resurrection Cemetery, Chardon, OH

Marie Carmela, the first of two girls born to Joseph and Concetta (Caputo) Livignano, grew up in the “Big Italy” neighborhood of Cleveland where the first Italian immigrants had settled. She was always proud of and appreciated her Italian heritage — it was an integral part of her life. Marie attended St. Anthony-Bridget Elementary School and then St. Peter High School. She came to know the Sisters of Notre Dame and was convinced that she could best serve God in religious life. Marie entered as a postulant on September 8, 1956. Her sister Phyllis, now Sister Josetta Marie, also entered the community.

Sister Mary Trina was known for the love and dedication she brought to her ministry in food service. For forty-nine years, Sister prepared meals for sisters living at the Provincial House, Notre Dame College, St. Boniface Convent, Julie Billiart Convent and the boarding school students at Notre Dame Academy, both in Chardon and Middleburg, Virginia. Sister noted that the object of cooking is to “bring satisfaction and to foster community at mealtimes.” To her daily encounters and interactions with the sisters, students, sales managers, delivery persons and employees, Sister Mary Trina brought a unique sense of humor, a smile, a cheerful remark, a sense of peace. She welcomed each person with warmth and an expression of personal interest in their well being. All were included in her circle of friends! She could well agree with St. Teresa of Avila who once remarked, “God walks among the pots and pans.”

In 1997, Sister Mary Trina retired from the kitchen and was invited to undertake a parish census at Holy Rosary Parish, Cleveland. This evolved into a ministry of visiting the homebound, working with the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, assisting with the RCIA program and other faith formation activities. Sister took the time to listen and respond to needs and concerns as she communicated with her heart as well as by her words and actions.

Sister Mary Trina moved to the Provincial Center in 2011. As a resident in the Health Care Center, she continued to minister to the homebound. Her relationships with others were uncomplicated and direct. Her experiences of a lifetime of service enabled her to enrich the lives of all she touched. Sister was a woman of prayer, recognizing the presence of Jesus all around and within her. Sister Mary Trina’s life was a reflection of God’s gentle, loving care. May she now rest in God’s gentle embrace.