Sr. M. Margarita Ceballos
Sister Mary Margarita Ceballos recounts with enthusiasm her experience as a missionary in our Venezuelan land. She was just twenty-three years old and came to Venezuela a few months after her first Profession:
“On November 26, 1964, I left Rome for Naples to embark on the ship “Rossini”, which would take me to Venezuela. After thirteen days of travel, I arrived at the port of La Guaira, where Sister Mary Anselmina Perazzini and Sister Mary Lourdes Ramirez were waiting for me. We returned home, where I gladly found five aspirants: Eudois, Evangelina, Lilia, Rosaura and Diomira, and Sr. Mary Agnes, a Mexican sister. She was serving with the Pauline Fathers in the seminary. Just one year had passed since the house was opened and I brought with me several crates. These were filled with the most necessary items to begin the Liturgical Apostolate. We had to go several times to the customs office of the port of La Guaira to process the necessary documents to remove them. Sister Mary Anselmina had already found a small place, and we started with great enthusiasm. To assist her, we exchanged with Sister Mary Lourdes, because we needed to seek out some charitable assistance for our mission.
It wasn’t long before we started having orders for chasubles and embroidery work, and little by little we made our way forward. The house we lived in was rented and had several fruit trees that we could use. After a short time, we managed to acquire land to build our own house. We had a good relationship with the Pauline Fathers and the Daughters of St. Paul. Each day we went to the priest who celebrated Mass for our community. Sister Mary Anselmina returned to Italy and was replaced by Sister Mary Redenta Alessi. In 1967 I had to return to Mexico to prepare for my Perpetual Profession. Three months before my departure, Sister Mary Serafina Contreras arrived.”
The testimony of Sister Mary Margarita reminds us of the words of our beloved Founder, Blessed James Alberione: “Our life is woven by small threads, which form the admirable canvas guided by the wise hands of God. Live by faith! Let yourself be guided by God. “ (APD 46-47.188-189).
Sr Mary Margarita lives currently in the Divine Master community in the city of Boston.