Sister Maria Hilda

Sister Maria Hilda                  ND 7080                  PDF Download

Hilda DO SACRAMENTO

Holy Cross Province, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil

Date and Place of Birth:              February 26, 1923       Japaratuba, Sergipe
Date and Place of Profession:    February 11, 1978        Notre Dame School, Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death:            August 9, 2019             Casa Betânia, Não-Me-Toque, RS
Date and Place of Burial:            August 10, 2019           Casa Santa Cruz, Passo Fundo, RS

“Learn from me, because I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls”.  Matthew 11:29

To celebrate 96 years of life is God’s grace. Many were the works that witnessed to the Father´s love; extensive were Sister´s apostolic engagement and sufferings too.

Hilda do Sacramento was born on February 26, 1923, in Japaratuba, Sergipe, daughter of Agrepino do Sacramento and Maria Nascimento. She had four brothers and four sisters who are all deceased. It was always a joy for sister remembering that she had been born in the year our German missionaries arrived in Brazil. It was remarkable to recall that she entered the world when the seed of the SND charism was first planted into Brazilian soil.

At her youth, she worked for different families with whom she maintained a close connection and friendship during her whole life. It was in contact with the Sisters of Notre Dame in Rio de Janeiro that she discerned her vocation and decided to become a Sister of Notre Dame.

She began her postulancy in 1975 at Notre Dame School in Passo Fundo, where she also made her novitiate and the promise of fidelity. To join the Congregation, she needed a special permission from the general government due to her age.

Sister completed her Elementary School studies at Nossa Senhora da Paz Parish School, Rio de Janeiro. Later, she attended several courses such as knitting and crochet, fabric painting, household care, nursing services, human promotion, and social etiquette.

Her long life includes many years of service in community, taking care of the kitchen, doing cleaning and laundry, and other chores throughout Brazil. Some of the communities she served are Constantina, Não-Me-Toque, Passo Fundo, Maravilha, Tapejara, Chapada, Carazinho, Ibirubá, Limeira, Ilha Solteira, Ilha do Governador, and Brasília. In 2015, she joined the Casa Betânia community, in Não-Me-Toque, working with arts and crafts and as an adoration sister.

In her simplicity of faith, which she had brought from the cradle of her family, Sr. M. Hilda cultivated some great devotions: a deep love to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in whom she fully trusted; to Our Lady Aparecida, whom she loved and held as a model for her life, taking shelter under her protection. She was also able to feel God´s love surrounding her which she deeply treasured.

With a strong and positive character, she loved life and was creative in making surprises for the community, for example, delicious sweets and snacks, which were always appreciated. Sister also enjoyed playing the guitar, the tambourine, and liked dancing, especially samba. She managed to combine seriousness and joy and use her gifts to celebrate.

The end of her journey was marked by suffering. God started to take back what He had given sister to serve. She could no longer walk due to a degenerative myelopathy of the spine, had difficulty speaking, and her movements were slow. The last days, she had been hospitalized due to a myocardial infarction and that became the cause of her death. May the good God be her reward in eternal life.