Sr. M. Dorothy Bruno
Caterina Bruno seemed to be born with a great pioneering mission. Indeed, it appears that the Lord chose her even before her birth to plant and develop the congregation of the Pious Disciples in Indian soil.
Caterina was born on May 11, 1929, to Giovanni Bruno and Margherita Alessandria in Narzole, a small agricultural village in Cuneo. She had five siblings – two brothers and three sisters. They lost their mother when they were still young, and their father remarried. The family was oriented to hard work from a very young age. Caterina learned to make many sacrifices and live a very simple life. The Bruno family actively participated in all parish initiatives, and the children were close to the figures of priests and religious.
When Caterina expressed the desire to become a nun, the parish priest directed her to the Pious Disciples, a congregation where her older sister (Sr. M. Ave Bruno) was already present. She was introduced with these words:
“Caterina is an exemplary young woman from my parish.”
She entered the congregation on August 10, 1945.
Later, one of her younger brothers, “Tomaso,” embraced religious life in the Society of St. Paul and became a zealous missionary in Colombia (South America), where he lived until his death. Caterina made her First Religious Profession on April 4, 1948, in Alba, Italy, and she was given the name Sr. M. Dorothy Bruno.
Before her Perpetual Profession, she received a sacred image from Mother M. Lucia Ricci, then Mother General, with the inscription:
“If Jesus the Master called you to be a missionary, what would you answer?”
Sr. M. Dorothy made a total offering of herself to God through perpetual profession on April 4, 1953. She was a very generous woman with a spirit of prayer and an open heart, qualities that guided her when she was chosen as a missionary to initiate the presence of the Disciples of the Divine Master in India, where the Brothers of the Society of St. Paul and the Daughters of St. Paul were already present. Along with Sr. M. Joseph Capra, they boarded the ship that would take them to India on January 31, 1954, on the feast of St. John Bosco, bringing with them a small relic of this Saint.
Sister Dorothy was not yet 25 years old when she embarked on this mission. During the journey, she wrote to Mother Lucia Ricci:
“Karachi, February 10, 1954.
Today, the feast of St. Scholastica, we feel closer to you, to all the Mothers and Sisters. With immense joy, we received your first letter in Aden, and we offer you our heartfelt gratitude, asking only one thing: pray a lot for us so that we can consume our lives in love as Pious Disciples. On our ship, the ‘Victoria,’ there is no chapel, and the Holy Mass is celebrated in a room that is the dance hall! Poor Jesus, how He adapts! There are 15 missionary priests and 12 sisters. Last night, one of the priests asked if anyone had an image of the Madonna that could be placed in the common room where we gather for prayer. No image was found except our beautiful image of ‘Queen of the Apostles.’ We offered it and placed it with joy and pride on the improvised altar, with lit candles and a beautiful crown for the Mother. Our Madonna appeared even more beautiful, and we believe that she is very happy too; she has surely found her place as Queen even on the ocean! Everyone admired the beautiful image, and some of them asked for the title with which our Madonna was honored. We were very happy to explain the title of ‘Mary, Queen of the Apostles’ in the best possible way. We feel comforted by the hope that soon we will have our home with a chapel, no matter how poor it may be, but there will be a Tabernacle, and that is where we will find Jesus.”
When they reached Mumbai on February 13, they were warmly welcomed by Rev. Fr. Gabriel Colossanti SSP, Fr. Diamentini SSP, and the superior of the FSP community, Mother Helena. Again, on February 16, they departed for Allahabad (Prayagraj), their final destination. Life in Allahabad was very challenging for this young sister, but God’s love allowed her to see and experience everything from a new perspective. On May 13, 1954, she wrote:
“A beautiful day for the Shepherds of Fatima, and it is beautiful for us too, as on this date, we celebrate our first three months in India. The Madonna who has guided us continues to watch over us in an extraordinary way. We are well, we feel the heat, but we will get used to it. At night, we sleep under the stars and see the bright spots of the sky from our beds; we feel at peace. We will get used to everything in simplicity because God is good and gives us grace. For over a month, we have been taking care of the kitchen. We cook Indian food for the boys, and bread is prepared twice a day. Our little house is very beautiful. It gives us the feeling of a monastery with a long veranda, a closed courtyard, the kitchen, and the laundry. It’s really beautiful, only the sparrows are missing to fill the empty nest.”
Sr. M. Dorothy served the congregation in India in various roles, such as local superior in Bombay (now called Mumbai) and Bangalore; as the novice mistress and regional counselor for about forty years, then she returned to Italy in 1994 due to health problems. Sr. M. Dorothy’s life was characterized by humility, simplicity, industriousness, joy, fraternal love, obedience, and a spirit of sacrifice. She was recognized by all for her kindness and love for silence. Through her life of witness, she constantly communicated to the Sisters of India the values inherent in our vocation as Pious Disciples, – the Eucharistic and Apostolic Spirit. On the Golden Jubilee of her religious profession, expressing her feelings to Mother M. Lucia Ricci, she wrote:
“I always remember India, and I thank you for sending me to that great nation. Perhaps there were many times when I could not appreciate this gift, but at the same time, I am also aware that I dedicated to the Lord the most beautiful years of my life. Now I accompany it with my poor prayers. I am grateful to the Lord for the 50 years of my religious profession and for His accompaniment in the struggles of the mission in India, especially at the beginning. Thank you, Mother Maestra, for all the assistance and understanding, especially towards India. You understood deeply the Indian soul and loved this very mysterious land. I thank the Lord every day because, through you, He chose and sent me to that land that I love and where I spent the most beautiful years of my life” (April 4, 1998).
In 2004, Sr. M. Dorothy was invited to visit India for the 50th anniversary of the Congregation’s Foundation in this country. On that occasion, she wrote a message for the sisters:
“I am grateful for this invitation. It is truly beautiful to be among you, especially the Sisters of the first hour who worked with the dedication required from the beginning of our foundation. The 50th year celebrated with solemnity is another aspect of this wonderful journey that has been made over the years. Shadows are everywhere, but we can look confidently at everything that is His light!”
After her return to Italy, Sr. M. Dorotea spent several years in the community of Bordighera and then in Alba. Since 2003, she lived in Sanfrè, assisting the elderly and sick sisters with various services, giving herself with joy and generosity in unconditional and joyful simplicity. Her last years were spent in total dependence on the loving care of the sisters due to various health problems related to age. With the joy of the spirit and the sense of completion of a mission, at the venerable age of 92, on September 25, 2020, Sr. M. Dorothy met the Divine Master to receive the crown prepared for her for all eternity.
Dear Mother, intercede with the Divine Master for every member of the Indian Province that you have so lovingly and generously planted and nurtured with the utmost care and attention. May we, the new generation of Indian Pious Disciples of the Divine Master, absorb the true love for the beauty of our religious vocation.”