Sister Maria Anisia

Sister  Maria  Anisia               ND 4194                PDF Download
Hercilia Maldaner

Holy Cross Province – Passo Fundo, RS

Date and Place of Birth:            May 2, 1929              Selbach, RS
Date and Place of Profession: February 12, 1948   Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death:         February 24, 2016   Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Burial:         February 25, 2016   Convent Cemetery, Passo Fundo, RS

“I can all in Him who strengthens me!”

This word provided sense and orientation throughout the 86 years of life of Sister Maria Anisia. It was her motto for her life and mission.

She was the fourth of the eleven children of João Maldaner and Elisabetha Höhn Maldaner. They gave a solid human and Christian education to their family. Hercilia received the sacraments in the Parish Church São Tiago, and attended the school of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Selbach, RS.

She was very young when she decided to enter with the Sisters in 1945. After her formation in religious life, she made her first profession in 1948 and her perpetual vows in 1953. After this, she worked as a cook in several of our hospitals for twenty two years.

In 1971, Sister Maria Anisia was chosen to be part of the group of the seven sisters that began the mission in Acre. With 3 other sisters she began to work in the hospital of Cruzeiro do Sul, AC; the other sisters went to Tarauacá, also in Acre, and were teachers in the school. At the Hospital, Sister M. Anisia was the administrator, obstetric and ambulatory nurse. She was untiring in her service to the needy: sick, old, young and children. She gave special attention to the mothers and children that had no conditions to live. Many have good memories of her dedication and ministry during that time and speak about Sister Maria Anisia with love.

Sister Maria Anisia worked in adult education while she was ministering in Acre and completed Technical Nursing later in Passo Fundo.

In 2010, Sister Maria Anisia returned to the South and ministered in community and pastoral services. Her last residence was Obra Social Santa Júlia, in Espumoso, where she assisted the old women during the meals, praying and staying with them for about 12 years.

She prayed very much, especially the rosary, and has special devotion to the Eucharist, Our Lady, and St. Joseph. She sought to be contemplative, bringing the realities of the world, the church, and the congregation into her prayer. She loved her friends, was very gentle, and daily practiced forgiveness with people with whom she lived. Her strong spiritual life was poured over others when she took care of the sick and the aged.

As she was growing older, the health problems increased with time. She had to have some surgeries and had heart problems. Recently she suffered a fall, broke her femur and had successful surgery, but after this there were complications. The good God called her to eternal life in the morning of February 24, 2016. Receive the crown of glory from the Lord to whom you devoted 67 years of your life as a Sister of Notre Dame.