Birth: 28th August 1940

  Profession: 8th September 1967

 Death: 10 October 2024

 

 

 

« The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I shall want » (Psalm 23) 

  

Sister Lena Temponi departed peacefully from this life on 10th October 2024. The daughter of Angelo and Maddalena TEMPONI, Caterina was born on 28th August 1940 at Concesio – Brescia. She was the second of three girls.  Her two sisters, Pasquina and Natalina are still living. 

 

Before joining the SMSM Lena went to the school of tailoring.  She was an accomplished tailor and much appreciated because of the quality of her work and her generosity in helping everyone. Is there any sister who has lived with Lena either in community or in the region who has not had a dress made by her? 

 

On 7th September 1965, Sr Lena, Sr M. Benilde Cozzi, Sr M. Anna RACCAGNI, Sr M. Flaviana CASARI and Sr M. Elisabetta BENEDETTI began their novitiate in Brescia with Sr M. Emma SAVOLDI as their Novice Mistress. On 8th September 1967 they made profession.    After profession, from 1967 to 1973 Sr Lena did her nurse's training. She obtained a diploma in nursing in Brescia and then a diploma in tropical medicine at Anvers, Belgium.  

 

In 1973, she was missioned to the dispensary in Pikine, Senegal and on 11th July 1977 she made final profession at Fandene, Senegal.  She spent most of her missionary life in Senegal caring for the sick and the promotion of women but also at the service of the Congregation as provincial councillor for the Europe-Africa Province and as a member of the formation team at the postulancy in Pikine, Keur AlekaDalifort. 

 

From 2004 to 2006, Sr M. Lena dedicated herself to a feeding program for undernourished and starving children and the care of the sick and most needy living in the quarters of Rosso – Mauritania. She then returned to Senegal where she was a member of the formation community, a service which she had been previously involved in.   

Her gift to the Lord of being at the service of the most needy continued until 2022 when her illness began necessitating her return to Casa Immacolata, Brescia. 

 

Sister Lena has known the joy of being on mission where she loved much and was much loved. She was very gentle, pleasant, good and determined. We witnessed daily how she bravely accepted the sufferings of her illness, fully aware and without ever complaining. Her smile spread peace right up until the time of her death when some sisters told her how much they appreciated her beautiful smile. Sr M. Lena answered calmly: 'That is all I have left to give'.  

 

 

Constitutions 57. 

It is the Father who has first loved us. 

Through the Spirit 

He calls us in Christ and consecrates us for mission. 

Freely and joyfully, we respond to the gift of His love 

by the gift of ourselves in religious life, 

confident that 'He who is faithful' (1 Th 5: 24) Is always acting in us. 

 

Sr M. Lena gave herself generously living in the spirit of her Mother Mary in our Congregation that she loved and served with her whole heart. 

 

 Casa Immacolata SMSM