RIP Mother Elvira Petrozzi - Known as the Sister of the Addicts - a Beloved Nun who Founded the Cenacle Community Dies at Age 86
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Obituary from the Cenacle Community:
«When they say: “Elvira has died!”, you must sing, dance, celebrate… because I am alive!
Woe to you if you say: “Poor her….” No, not at all “poor her”! I will go on calmly and sing, I’m already singing! Something magnificent will open wide before me… life doesn’t die!». .
With these words repeated over the years, Sister Elvira Petrozzi, known as Mother Elvira, prepared her collaborators and the young people of Comunità Cenacolo, for whom she is the founder, for her passage into eternal life.
At the age of 86, surrounded by the prayer and affection of the entire “family” of the Comunità Cenacolo, Mother Elvira serenely returned to the Father’s home. Her earthly pilgrimage ended at the House of Formation of the Comunità Cenacolo in Saluzzo where she lived the last years of her illness, cared for with loving attention by the Sisters of the community. This morning, August 3, 2023 at 3:50, surrounded by all the Sisters of the house in prayer, after finishing the singing of the Salve Regina, she opened her large, bright eyes and confidently surrendered herself to the merciful embrace of the Father and the tenderness of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Consumed by a life spent with extraordinary generosity and intensity in loving and serving the poor and the needy - especially the young and those lost in addictions and a meaningless life - and in her final years, bearing the Cross, Mother Elvira continued until the end with faith, determination, courage, and complete surrender to God, bearing witness to her immense love for life.
During the days of the Festival of Life held on the hill of Saluzzo from July 13th to 16th, thousands of people, including young individuals, parents, and friends belonging to the "big family" of the Community, came from various parts of the world to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cenacolo. They gathered around her in intense prayer and deep affection to thank her and accompany her as she passed into eternal life.
After the Festival, a river of people - young individuals from our fraternities and missions scattered around the world, "children" of the Community, friends, and parents - came to the House of Formation to bid her a final farewell, to give her a caress, a prayer, a kiss, and a thank you. The anticipation of her birth into Heaven stretched beyond any human expectation, filled with prayer and affection, bringing emotion and gratitude to the hearts of all who could say goodbye and express their gratitude, especially the men and women welcomed into various fraternities. Just as she did throughout her entire life, Mother Elvira wanted to give herself to everyone until the very end, until this morning, the day when the Father's promise over her life was fulfilled. Together with you, we thank the Lord for this precious life that helped so many lives to be reborn, to find hope and the will to live!
The wake will be held at the House of Formation of the Missionary Sisters of the Resurrection, located at Via Pagno 115 in Saluzzo, the place where Mother Elvira lived her last years of earthly life. Visitation to pay respects will be possible starting tomorrow, Friday, August 4th, during the following hours: from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., until the date of the funeral, which will be announced as soon as possible. Every evening, also starting from tomorrow, Friday, August 4th, at 8:30 p.m., a Holy Rosary will be recited, open to all, on the hill of San Lorenzo in Saluzzo, the place where the Comunità Cenacolo was born.
You are all invited, upon receiving this news, to give a warm smile to Mother Elvira and to say a heartfelt thank you for her life lived to the fullest! May she watch over us and intercede for us from Heaven!
Biography
Cenacle Community in Medjugorge , Bosnia and Herzegovina . Member of a particularly poor family, whose father was notably an alcoholic , she emigrated to Alexandria during the Second World War 2 . She claims to have “never thought of learning to read or study” 3 . In 1956, when she was 19 years old, she decided to become a nun in the congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Sainte-Jeanne-Antide-Thouret . In July 16, 1983, she founded the first community of the cenacle in an old 18th century house , perched on a hill above Saluzzo , in Piedmont . She first wants to create a community for marginalized young people, but the first to ask her for help are young drug addicts. The community is recognized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity as a private international association of the faithful. Currently there are 72 houses present in 20 countries of the world.
(Italy: 25 fraternities; Austria: 1; Bosnia & Herzegovina: 2; Croatia: 7; France: 5; England: 1; Ireland: 1; Poland: 4; Portugal: 1; Slovakia: 1; Spain: 2; United States: 4; Argentina: 5; Costa Rica: 1; Brazil: 5; Mexico: 1; Peru: 3; Paraguay: 1; Liberia: 1; Philippines: 1).
About the Community Cenacolo
Community Cenacolo is an organization founded by Sister Elvira Petrozzi in 1983. A member of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity in Italy, Sister Elvira felt a strong desire to reach out to young people who had taken a wrong path. It took some years before Sister's Superiors granted permission, meanwhile Sister Elvira says she felt like a volcano inside, prayed much and never gave up hope.
Though it was not fit to live in, an old ruined house in Saluzzo, Italy was leased to the Sisters and the project began. Today that run down old building is now the Mother House of Community Cenacolo, a worldwide organization with 33 fraternities throughout Italy, France, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina (Medjugorje), Ireland, Brazil, Austria, Dominican Republic, USA (Florida) and Mexico.
Community Cenacolo accommodates about 900 young men and women. Many are drug addicted desperate lost souls. Passing through the doors of Community Cenacolo, these young people begin to feel hope and a sense of being, and family. The aim of the Community is to renew the family; to help the families meet Jesus Christ, Savior and Redeemer, also, to bring support, love, healing and faith.
The day begins at six o'clock in the morning, in the chapel, where the rosary is recited. Making bread, cleaning the house, masonry work, gardening, woodworking, etc. all these things are done by the members of the community. By the end of the day, much has been done, and much has been learned, the 15 decades of the Rosary said, and the Gospel shared.
Sources: https://www.comunitacenacolo.it/eins/?page_id=178
https://www.hopereborn.org/about
http://www.medjugorjeusa.org/sisterelvira.htm
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