Annually Cabrini Mission Foundation presents this award at our Gala to someone within the Cabrini Missions near and far who has had an outstanding impact on the lives of others. This year the recipients are two Missionary Sisters who collectively served sixty years in Swaziland, Southern Africa.

Sr. Speranza D’Ambrosi, MSC

Sr. Speranza entered the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1930 and, after her initial formation, spent sixteen years in mission work throughout Italy, mainly with little ones, teaching Kindergarten level.

In 1950 she came to the USA working in Chicago and New York. She spent fifteen years influencing the lives of many teenage girls at Mother Cabrini High School in New York City where. Sr. Joan McGlinchey, MSC, a graduate and current member of the MSC General Council reflected on her presence during those years: “I saw a light in her eyes, a happiness, a smile on her face, a kind manner, a sense of humor, an invitation, a willingness to spend time with us.”

In 1969, fulfilling a lifetime desire, she volunteered and was sent to a new outreach in Lebanon. There she remained for the next five years until the political upheaval warranted that our Sisters leave the country.

Her missionary journey did not end there. By 1974, she joined Sr. Anna Maria De Oliveira and other community members who were in Swaziland, Southern Africa. There she remained until 2004, with the exception of two years when she returned to the USA. It would be difficult to describe what her ‘work’ was during that time. In her own words, it can be summed up in this manner: “I did whatever had to be done.” The on-going testimony of the Swazi people for her dedicated service over twenty-eight years, has long established her as one of their revered GoGos.

In these years of retirement, Sr. Speranza has returned to 701 Ft. Washington Avenue in New York City. Here she continues to provide a ministry of presence at St. Cabrini Shrine, adjacent to Mother Cabrini High School, where she spent the early years of her mission life. Last year, she celebrated her 75th Jubilee as a Missionary Sister.

Sr. Anna Maria DeOliveira, MSC

Sr. Anna Maria was born in Brazil, where she later entered the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on January 20, 1957 in Rio de Janeiro.

Following profession, Anna Maria went to New Orleans where she worked with young children until joining the first group of sisters who set out for the mission in Swaziland, Southern Africa. For more than 30 years, Anna Maria gave herself unceasingly to a most intense missionary activity in pastoral ministry and in caring for children. She also ministered to the refugees from Mozambique sheltered in the camp at Manzini during the war years which ravaged that country.

It can be said that Sr. Anna Maria truly entered into the culture of that country, becoming completely one with the Swazi people. From former CMC missioner Heather Anderson we get a glimpse of her impact on the mission: “Anna Maria had an indomitable spirit and a twinkle in her eye…making it always seem as if she had just shared a great joke with God. She was stubborn and fiercely loyal to the Swazi people. She was never afraid to tell you what she thought or to get her hands dirty to be of service."

Sr. Speranza, her friend of twenty eight years, tells us, “Anna Maria was a good and loving friend – very kind and compassionate to all the people and an example to me of what love in action can do.”

This year Sr. Anna Maria would have celebrated the 50th anniversary of her religious life and was included with the group celebrating in Philadelphia. However, her health did not permit this. On June 10, 2007 she returned home to God.