On the same day as the Foundress, August 24, Sister Maria Grazia’s generous and tireless heart ceased to beat. We lived these days in mourning, prayer and thanksgiving. We want to give voice to these feelings through memories, filled with affection and admiration.

The testimony of Umberto F.

Dearest Sister Maria Grazia, your presence in my life has been a precious Pearl.

Our friendship was born when you were in charge of the Nutrition Center in Goundi.

You were the first Sister to welcome me at the airport in Ndjamena, I will never be able to forget that moment, we hugged and I remember your expression of happiness at seeing me and then as the savior of the luggage, wich was about to be opened and there was a risk of losing all the precious contents. I will miss your presence in the land of Africa very much.

Humanly I have lost so much, and people like you leave a void, and it is good that this is so because it is a sign that there was great Love.

Indeed you witnessed a love for all and your noble humanity emerged when you spoke of others, never judging anyone, but always with expressions of gratitude to all, welcoming, wise, a hard worker for the good, you had a typically Divine characteristic, rare Pearl in the hands of the Lord.

We pray for you and promise that we will continue to support your the work that you have with great effort helped to build, grow and develop with great commitment and much Love and always in union of prayer, so you said.

You will forever remain in my heart and example of life to follow.

I love you! Now continue from heaven your work with us.

Umberto F.

The testimony of sister Lucie N.

Dear Sister Maria Grazia,

We, your sisters, your loved ones, your religious family and all those who have known and loved you, are here today to say goodbye. We are here, gathered in this place you loved so much and in which you served Christ in the person of the poor who are his suffering members, to say goodbye to you.

How difficult it is for us to accept your departure so soon, so quickly, Sister Maria Grazia!

Thank you for all that you have been for us: a model, an exemplary big sister, a true Sister of Charity according to the desire and will of our dearest Mother Jeanne Antide Thouret, through your way of doing, being and acting in the face of difficult situations of others.

You have been a mother to me and to all those in difficult situations. Thank you for your availability, you used to tell me that a Sister of Charity must always be ready for anything.

Maria Grazia, you have spent your whole life in Africa serving the poor and you have become a true African, you have totally dedicated yourself to serving the poor since I met you; Maria Grazia of Kyàbé is the same Maria Grazia de Ngàoundàl. The time spent with you was a great enrichment for me, because I learned a lot from you.

You were a woman of prayer: early in the morning you were up with your rosary, your lamp lit like a wise virgin, awake and waiting for her Master. My sister, I am convinced that you are with your God whom you so loved and served, “Watchful servant, enter into the joy of your master”.

You were a woman who gave herself body and soul to the service of the poor, Maria Grazia, you married simplicity to give everything to the poor. Pray for us up there that we may receive this grace of simplicity. Thank you, sister, for you had a mother’s heart, tender and understanding.

Your departure reminds us that our life down here is but vanity of vanities. I will miss your advice. I am happy to have shared part of my life with you, thank you, and I learned many good things from you, “Do at least one act of charity or one good deed a day, just for the glory of God”.

Your last moments we spent together, nights and days; you endured this suffering like Christ on Calvary and the good Lord wanted to take this suffering away from you on the very day of the commemoration of our founding mother. I wish you rest in peace, Sister Maria Grazia.

May the land of our ancestors be light to you, go in peace.

Sister Lucie N.

The testimony of sister Gabriella B.

Dear Graziella, how much pain I felt upon hearing the announcement of your death so unexpectedly. A flood of memories flowed in my mind and heart, and tears from my eyes. Immediately you came to my mind at the hospital in Rovato where we met. As soon as I notified my sisters that you had died they had the same reaction and feelings as I did.

Lisetta especially remembers you when, as instrumentalists in the operating room, together you did a lot of laughing and a lot of work with precision. It was difficult to get along as nurses with the professor, yet you were precise and punctual and ready for his every request.

You were a person all of a piece, as we say in our place, and so, Maria Rosa remembers you. And when we found out that we had both decided to consecrate ourselves to the Lord, what a joy, and both of us among the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne Antide. Together we spent the days of postulancy, and novitiate. Joy and commitment characterized our little group of twelve. The hymns with Father Angelo Coan, the Mass of “God Alone” and “the Immense Heavens”, and so many others, which no doubt you will sing in heaven with Sister Perluigia and Sister Rita, and I hope someday to be there too.

Then your desire for the mission; I no longer remember the number of babies you delivered and baptized and how much commitment for the hospital in Goundi and afterwards for the hospital N’gaundal, in Cameroon and again your commitment to follow the African nuns so that they would be holy Sisters of Charity.

Thank you for every invitation to grow in goodness, holiness , service to the poor.

I ask you to continue to remind us that there is Heaven waiting for us.

Sister Gabriella B.