Sister Maria Marieta

Sister Maria Marieta                        ND 4831                    PDF Download
Cecilia Reck

Our Lady Aparecida Province, Canoas, RS – Brazil

Date and Place of Birth:                   December 21, 1932            São Francisco de Paula, RS
Date and Place of Profession:        February 12, 1953               Passo Fundo, RS
Date and Place of Death:                September 10, 2016           Recanto Aparecida, Canoas, RS
Date and Place of Funeral:             September 11, 2016           Convent Cemetery, Canoas 

See how beautiful are the flowers that grow in the fields.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, will he not much more care for his children? Cf. Mt 6:28…

Nature overflows with beauty and simplicity, as Jesus expresses in his words: “See how the flowers of the fields grow, look at the birds of the air”. In this simplicity Sister Maria Marieta spent her life faithfully following Jesus as a Sister of Notre Dame.

Sister Maria Marieta received the name of Cecilia at baptism, and she was a twin of Antoninha, who died at the age of six. Her parents, Guerino Reck and Ana Wagner had 18 children. Seven have died already. The Reck family made their living from working with the earth in the mountainous region of São Francisco de Paula. The parents educated their children in the Christian faith, and taught them the dignity of work and the struggle to win in life.

God in his infinite goodness called two Reck’s daughters to Consecrated Religious Life. Cecilia received the name of Sister Maria Marieta at her investment, and Terezinha, her blood sister received the name of Sister Maria Elenita. Sister Maria Marieta was always in close and frequent contact with her family members. She loved to visit them as well as receiving their visits.

Throughout her religious life she devoted her strength to the ministry of housekeeping, particularly looking after the flower and vegetable gardens, whose ability she inherited from her family. She loved what she did, even when it required effort. She always rejoiced sharing the fruits of her work.

From 2005 on she joined the community of Recanto Aparecida for health treatment and there she remained until the end of her earthly pilgrimage.

Sister Maria Marieta was simple and helpful in community. She knew how to build friendships. The smile was one of her strongest characteristics. She cultivated her spirituality. She was always present in community prayers and was true to her commitment as a Sister of Notre Dame. The devotion to Mary had a special place in her life. Countless times the rosary beads slipped through the fingers of her hands. Apostolic zeal was inseparable in her life. She visited patients at the hospitals as well as in their homes. She blessed them and encouraged them in tough situations. When her health and age showed fragility, she helped the community through little services. She went every day to the kitchen and was very dedicated to the ministry of prayer. She was always busy doing small crafts to brighten the lives of employees, friends, and the elderly people of the nursing homes where we work. She knew how to perfectly use scraps and boxes to make her little gifts, and rejoiced when someone visited her to admire her handicraft.

In her sickness she was resigned, simple and gentle. She welcomed her fragility. With simplicity, she accepted help from everyone. She allowed the Divine Potter to shape her “like clay in his hands” integrating in her life the ND charism: “a deep experience of God’s goodness and his provident care.” At 5:00 a.m. on the morning of September 10, she surrendered her life to the One to whom she gave all her love.