Sister Maria Benicia  

Sister  Maria  Benicia                          ND 4451                        PDF Download

Elma Rosa TREVISAN

Holy Cross Province, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil

Date and Place of Birth:              December 10, 1929  Vila Pinhal Grande, RS
Date and Place of Profession:   February 13, 1951    Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death:            April 15, 2023            Casa Betânia, Não-Me-Toque, RS
Date and Place of Burial:            April 15, 2023           Santa Cruz Cemetery, Passo Fundo, RS

Elma Rosa Trevisan was the third among the 11 children of Antonio Trevisan and Rosina Michelon. From her family, Elma received a Christian education. She participated in the parish community, cultivated a good relationship with the neighbors, and helped those in need.

Elma met the Sisters of Notre Dame in Júlio de Castilhos at the age of 19. She subsequently entered the Novitiate in Passo Fundo, RS, and received the religious name of Sister Maria Benícia.

The quote from Heb 10:24: “Let us be attentive to one another, to encourage one another to charity and good works” reveals a picture of Sister M. Benícia’s life. She was attentive to the well-being of others and cultivated the virtues of a good Sister of Notre Dame.

Sister served generously, especially as a cook, in the many ND communities to which she was assigned. She took care of the general needs of the houses as well as cultivating vegetable gardens. She liked to visit the sick and their families, bringing comfort and hope to them.

Sister M. Benícia was an active participant in community life. She enjoyed playing games as well as preparing small surprises for meals. She liked to share her life history and her knowledge with the sisters and to recount stories about the beginnings of Notre Dame in Brazil. Sister rejoiced in the growth of the Province, both in the number of members and the increasingly diverse ministries. She was also an enthusiastic soccer fan and supporter of her local team. She rejoiced with their achievements and suffered with their defeats.

Sister also enjoyed the company of her family members who visited her frequently. For a few months, she was able to help care for her elderly mother and other family members in need.

Sister Maria Benícia recently underwent surgery in Passo Fundo due to a health problem, but her recovery was very slow. Her general health fluctuated after she was discharged from the hospital and returned to Casa Betania. The sisters surrounding her witnessed her great suffering until God called her to his glory in the year of the Centenary of the Notre Dame presence in Brazil.

“In the Traces of the Good God, we are Writing our History” is the motto of the Brazilian Centenary. During the 72 years of her religious life, Sister Maria Benícia participated in the construction of this story of goodness and grace. May the good God welcome her and reward her for all the good she has done.