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Today’s missionary hero was a religious sister and nurse who was so treasured, she became known as “the great” among those who knew her. Her name was Elisa.
Elisa Angela Meneguzzi was born on September 12, 1901 into a poor Italian farm family. From an early age, Elisa demonstrated a strong commitment to her Catholic faith. As a youth, she walked to daily Mass, and she became a catechist in her parish when she was old enough.
At the age of 14, Elisa got a job working for wealthy families and serving in the thermal resort are of Abano. In her work, she gained a reputation for her work ethic and for her pleasant personality.
On March 5, 1926, at age 15, Elisa entered the Sisters of St. Francis de Sales. As a religious sister, she took the name Liduina. In the boarding school of Santa Croce, Sr. Liduina cared for linens and worked as a sacristan and nurse. The girls in the boarding school loved to confide in Sr. Liduina and share their dreams and problems with her. Because she was not part of the faculty, the girls felt safe sharing their innermost thoughts with her. This was the same kind of role that St. Josephine Bakhita, a Canossian Sister in Italy, had, serving as a confidant to students in the school in which she served as a cook, doorkeeper, and sacristan.
In 1937, Sr. Liduina was transferred to Dire-Dawa, Ethiopia. Unlike Italy, where most of the people were Catholic Christians, in Ethiopia, she encountered all sorts of people. And it was in Ethiopia that Sr. Liduina showed her great love and respect for all people regardless of their religion or skin color.
In Ethiopia, Sr. Liduina worked as a nurse in Parini Civil Hospital which, after the Second World War began, served as a military hospital. It was there that she became known as a “charity angel,” capturing the hearts not only of soldiers, but also of the majority Moslem population. Like many nurse-saints, Sr. Liduina saw Christ in every patient and then acted accordingly. The native Ethiopians began calling “Sister Gudda,” which translates as “Sister Great.”
When the town was bombed, Sr. Liduina threw herself into moving the wounded to shelters and baptizing those about to die.
Sr. Liduina died at the age of 40 on December 2, 1941 of cancer. Pope John Paul II beatified Liduina on October 20, 2002.
Blessed Liduina’s feast day is December 2, and she is a patron of Dire Dawa, missionaries, and nurses.
