Sister Maria Amelia

Sister Maria Amelia                ND 5165                      PDF Download

(Formerly Sister Maria Susete)

Amelia SCOPEL

Holy Cross Province, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil

Date and Place of Birth:                 September 24, 1936           Carazinho, RS
Date and Place of Profession:       February 12, 1957               Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death:               February 13, 2022              Casa Betânia, NMT
Date and Place of Burial:               February 14, 2022              Passo Fundo, RS

“You cured the sick, Lord, showing that your kingdom of love is at hand.
Like you we want to love the sick and to care for everyone´s life and health”.

This stanza of a song well expresses the life and ministry of Sister M. Amelia; someone who was always busy and concerned with the well-being of others, especially, the sick, to whom she dedicated a considerable part of her life.

Amelia Scopel was the youngest of the nine children born to Natal and Leopoldina Kummer Scopel, farmers.  At the age of 18, Amelia joined the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Passo Fundo and received the name Sister Maria Susete. Later, she returned to her baptism name. This year, 2022, Sister would have celebrated her Iron Jubilee, 65 years of Consecrated Religious Life.

Sister M. Amelia trained as a Nursing Technician and studied Hospital Administration, serving mostly in hospitals and in homes for elderly people throughout her religious life. When Sister began her professional life, in 1956, the conditions in the hospitals were very poor especially  in regard to organization,   the treatment of patients, the role of professionals, the use of equipment and even the knowledge of the health care sector itself. Consequently, the doctors themselves taught the support staff. In this way Sister M. Amelia refined her ministry to the sick and as Nursing Coordinator.  At the same time Sister served as local coordinator for different SND communities and a welcome participant in larger Province gatherings. Her enthusiasm and joy overflowed during these meetings, especially when she told stories and shared her experiences.

Sister M. Amelia was an active person, always finding ways to participate and to help wherever needed. She had a special gift for growing plants, vegetables and pruning fruit trees. Repeatedly, sisters invited her to visit the orchards of the various SND communities and advise them on how to better care for the trees in order to harvest more and delicious fruits, a service Sister performed with great joy.  In Espumoso, the last community in which she lived before moving to Casa Betânia, she joined the Health Care Pastoral, Bereavement Pastoral and family prayer groups, in addition to being an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist.

After a long period of treatment and suffering with cancer, Sister went home to God. There she will enjoy a well-deserved rest and the reward for her tireless self-giving in favor of her sick brothers and sisters as well as other people touched by her ministry.

Rest in peace!