Sister Maria Enriqueta

Sister Maria Enriqueta               ND 4435            PDF Download

Josépina Catharina CENTENARO

Holy Cross Province, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil

Date and Place of Birth:              January 6, 1924          Frederico Westphalen, RS
Date and Place of Profession:    February 9, 1950         Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death:            November 6, 2020      Casa Betânia, Não-Me-Toque, RS
Date and Place of Burial:            November 7, 2020      Sta Cruz Cemetery, Passo Fundo, RS

Josépina Catharina Centenaro was born in Frederico Westphalen, on January 6, 1924. Her parents Attilio and Carolina Richoto Centenaro were farmers and had eight children. With her parents and siblings, Josépina participated in liturgical practices in her town of origin.

On February 1, 1947, she became a postulant in Passo Fundo and at her investment received the name Sister Maria Enriqueta. Sister always participated with promptness and joy in the opportunities for retreats, formation, leisure or excursions offered by the Province. Sister Maria Enriqueta had two blood sisters in our Congregation: Sister Maria Adila, who died on February 10, 2014 and Sister Maria Zenaide, who died on September 9, 2020.

Sister Maria Enriqueta was one of those holy Sisters who was a strong support to all our ministries. In the communities where she lived, she gave witness through her caring for the maintenance and cleaning of the buildings of schools and hospitals so that all who made use of them could enjoy a harmonious and pleasant environment and the ministry could be effectively carried out. Thus, due to her spirit of service and promptness, Sister was a support to all the ministries in the many communities where she served: Taquara, Canoas, Pelotas, Passo Fundo, Espumoso, Iraí, and Não-Me-Toque.

Among the communities in which she lived, Colégio Notre Dame Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro is worth mentioning. There she served from 1956 to 1977. This period encompassed two important historical events which Sister Maria Enriqueta took to heart: The Second Vatican Council with all its innovations for the church and society and the transfer of Brazil´s federal capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasília.

In 1958, the Colégio Notre Dame Ipanema´s annals register the school’s 25^th Anniversary and the blessing of the chapel´s stained glass windows and altar. It also refers to renovation, construction, and painting of other parts of the school, as well as the conducting of graduation ceremonies, celebrations, parents’ assemblies, fundraising campaigns for the poor, cultural, religious and sports events for which Sister Maria Enriqueta and her team organized from beginning to end.

In 1987, Sister Maria Enriqueta joined the Casa Betânia community and for 14 years served in caring for sick and elderly sisters. Then she herself had a heart problem and a bone trauma which required a hip prosthesis and a pacemaker, which made her dependent and confined to a wheelchair.

Sister Maria Enriqueta was zealous about her time with the Lord in the chapel, praying the Liturgy of Hours, spending time in daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and praying the rosary for the intentions of the Church and our ministries.

In October, Sister still participated in the retreat at Casa Betânia which was guided by Sister Maria Alcídia. On that occasion, the signs of the end of her earthly life were already visible. On November 6^th, Sister peacefully departed to the Father’s house. Now, with the heavenly court, she intercedes for us and prays for our intentions as she did during her 70 years of religious life.