María Troncatti was born on February 16, 1883 in Corteno Golgi, a small town in the province of Brescia, Italy. From childhood, she was captivated by the Salesian missionary zeal thanks to her teacher, who placed in her hands the Boletín Salesiano founded by Saint John Bosco. That contact sowed in her a deep desire: to bring the Gospel to distant lands.
She entered the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the female branch founded by Saint John Bosco and Saint Mary Dominga Mazzarello, and received her religious formation at the mother house in Nizza Monferrato. On September 19, 1914, she made her perpetual vows, sealing her total commitment to God and the mission.
Path to the mission in Ecuador
In the spring of 1922, she was announced her destination: Ecuador. Upon arriving in Chunchi, she began by setting up a small dispensary, known as the “botiquín”, where she cared for the sick and shared with them not only remedies, but also faith and hope.
After three years, she was sent to the Amazon jungle, to remote places like Macas, Sevilla Don Bosco, and Sucúa. There she unfolded a multifaceted apostolate: she was a nurse and catechist, teacher and counselor, mother and friend. Soon everyone affectionately called her “madrecita”.
Witness of reconciliation and hope
The mission was not without difficulties. The conflict between settlers and the Shuar people painfully marked those years: the Macas mission was burned in 1938, and the Sucúa mission suffered the same in 1969. Amid those trials, Sister María remained firm in faith, encouraging everyone to trust in God:
“Let us fulfill God's will well! He permitted this, He will help us”.
Her dedication was heroic during the smallpox and measles epidemics, in which she risked her life to assist the sick. In 1954, with great effort and the help of the community, the Sucúa hospital was inaugurated, of which Sister María was director. She also defended the rights of the Amazonian peoples and promoted training works, such as courses for nurses and the education of girls.
A life sustained by faith
The secret of her strength lay in her deep union with Christ:
“A glance at the Crucified One gives me life and courage to work”.
That glance was what sustained her through decades of total dedication, in harsh conditions and with great sacrifices.
Death on mission
On August 25, 1969, as she was preparing to travel to participate in some spiritual exercises, the small plane she was on crashed shortly after taking off from the Sucúa airport. She died on the spot, offering her life for the reconciliation between settlers and Shuar.
Recognition by the Church
Pope Benedict XVI beatified her on November 24, 2012, recognizing in her a missionary who embodied Salesian spirituality in Amazonian lands, bringing consolation, faith, and hope to those who needed it most.
On October 19, 2025, Pope Leo XIV will canonize her, proclaiming her a saint of the universal Church and a model of a missionary who, with courage and tenderness, became all things to all people in the name of Christ.
Help Infovaticana continue informing