MARIA
DA PENHA
Frei
Daniel gives all of himself without sparing any energy, until exhaustion.
It is part of his nature. At the Leprosarium, if on the one hand he is
subjected to insults and slander, on the other he receives love and gratitude.
We like to remember the case of Maria da Penha, a former student of the
S. Antonio do Prata Boarding School, who courageously enters his service
with a dedication and a commitment that touch our hearts. It is a well
known fact that, in order to be able to live in Frei Daniel's little house
and avoid, in the long run, any gossip about the friar, she decides to
marry a leper!
This
is easily said and written, but it must have taken great courage and love
to do. Let us think for a moment about this young Brazilian woman who devotes
her life to the care of two lepers: Umberto, who becomes her husband simply
because she wants to live at the Leprosarium, and Frei Daniel, the friar
whom she had met when he was a missionary and a brilliant professor at
Colonia do Prate, and whom she cannot abandon now.
We
feel the need to praise and honor Maria da Penha. She is an example of
the same heroism as that embodied in the young Italian Missionary, a heroism
found deeply rooted and beautifully blooming also in Santa Cruz, in the
great, vast land of Brazil. Although we regard both as exceptionally heroic
figures, to them, their actions were innately selfless and humble. After
Frei Daniel's death, Maria da Penha lived in reverence of the friar whose
body was covered with sores. She would say that his sores did not have
an offensive odor, but emitted a fragrance that only she could smell, while
Frei Daniel's uncompassionate confessor referred to him as "a bag of rotten
flesh".
Maria
da Penha always remembered him while she assisted, comforted and took care
of her husband, Umberto, until his last day. We hear this story from her
children who were born at the Leprosarium in perfect health.
The
inspiration of Frei Daniel, the Capuchin priest, remained with Maria da
Penha all her life. A Capuchin sister who had the privilege of knowing
Maria as a religious instructor, told us the following story with deep
emotion: Maria used to explain the Sacraments with stories of her life
at Tucunduba. When she spoke about the Eucharist or the Mass, she was so
moved that she could not hold back her tears while recounting how she used
to help Frei Daniel celebrate the Mass. Since he could no longer handle
or raise the chalice, and could not break the Host, having lost his sense
of touch as all lepers do, she used to assist him. Maria would firmly press
the friar's mangled hands around the chalice so that he could raise it
during the Elevation. For his communion, she would hold his gangrenous
hands and help him break the Holy Host. She would do all this without wearing
any gloves. She felt protected and shielded by her great faith in God.
A
Deus Louvado!
"Praise
to God!" for the precious gift of Maria da Penha.