Visiting the Birthplace of Soon-to-be St. Maria Troncatti, FMA

Originally published on ANS, 09/23/2025

(ANS – Rome) – In the second stage of the journey preparing for the canonization of Daughter of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) Sr. Maria Troncatti (1883–1969), the focus turns to her roots, and especially to her birthplace: Corteno Golgi. This small town of 2,000 inhabitants, located in Val Camonica in the province of Brescia, Lombardy, is where Maria Benvenuta Troncatti—her full baptismal name—was born on February 16, 1883.

Pride of a Mountain Community

Today, the mayor of Corteno, Giuseppino Lippi, expresses the pride of the entire community in Sister Maria Troncatti and the attention her memory has brought back to their village.

“Corteno is a mountain town that has given so much to communities around the world, precisely because our Blessed, Maria Troncatti, crossed an ocean, embraced the missionary spirit, and offered the world the determination of a mountain person, used to rolling up her sleeves and giving the best of herself,” said the mayor in a video prepared by the FMAs’ Historical-Spiritual-Liturgical Commission for the canonization.

“Corteno is grateful for this figure because she shows how much the willpower of one person can accomplish: it is a life lesson for society,” he added. Mayor Lippi is himself distantly related to Blessed Maria Troncatti.

He also emphasized that her canonization is “a unique opportunity to renew a sense of community spirit,” noting that the municipality is working to restore her birthplace so that visitors may come to learn more about the future saint.

Witness of Faith in Today’s World

Fr. Mauro Zambetti, parish priest of Corteno Golgi since 2020, highlighted the importance of Sister Maria’s testimony in a time when communicating the faith is not easy.

“Blessed Maria becomes a model that the Church offers us to imitate. Reading her life carefully, one sees the fruit of the faith formation she received, which bore great results,” he explained.

He recalled that even during her lifetime she showed deep trust in “the powerful intercession of the saints.” As a nurse, “she would place holy cards inside bandages, pray herself, and invite the sick person to pray to the saints as well.”

For the parish priest, her canonization carries a double meaning for Corteno Golgi: Sister Maria becomes a “great point of reference, perhaps even a Patron” of the community, while her life story may also encourage “new vocations.”

Memories from Family

The video also captures family testimonies.

Gianna Marniga, granddaughter of Elisabetta Lucia Troncatti (sister of the future saint), recalls:

“When I went to my grandmother’s house, I remember the anxious wait for the letters that arrived from Ecuador. When they came, it was a huge emotion; I always saw her cry. ‘Maria has written,’ my grandmother would say, worrying about the dangers she faced crossing rivers or encountering animals in the forest.”

Lucia Bianchi, granddaughter of Giacomo Troncatti (brother of the blessed), adds:

“Sister Maria was a joyful, content girl, a hard worker who never missed Mass, even in summer when she had to take the animals up to the pasture.”

These testimonies confirm what others in the village also recall: Sister Maria’s holiness did not begin suddenly in Ecuador, but grew gradually from childhood and youth, nourished by simple faith, daily prayer, frequent sacraments, dedication to work, and deep humility. She even carried out farming tasks—including spreading manure in the fields—until just before leaving for her missionary life.

Watch the video with interviews from Sister Troncatti’s fellow townspeople.

Visit the official site dedicated to her canonization for more information.