Sister Elda Gussago

List of Deceased Sisters

Date of Death 25/08/2018

                           Sister Maria Elda (Elda GUSSAGO)

                             December 24th, 1944 – August 25th, 2018

Sister Marie Elda GUSSAGO was born on December 24th, 1944 in Brescia (Italy) daughter of Giuseppe GUSSAGO and Luigia BEDUSCHI.

She was the last of six children: five daughters one of whom was sister Rita GUSSAGO, who preceded her to the Father's house in 2003, and a brother who was killed just before the end of the Second World War.

Sister Elda entered our congregation on September 10th, 1966 and made her first profession on March 9th, 1969 in Brescia.

After her studies of kindergarten teaching, and training in a technical school, she received her first assignment to Burundi, where she arrived on 5th November 1975.

She worked at the Social Centre (Centre for Women’s Education) at Ndava in the province of Gitega.

In March 1985, with many other missionaries, she was expelled from Burundi.

At the end of 1986, she was missioned to Rwanda, where she was appointed novice mistress.

Some months later, following the general chapter of 1987, she was appointed general councilor and transferred to Rome.

On January 1st, 1998, she was appointed Provincial of Italy-Rwanda.

From 2002, she was part of the community of Casa Immacolata where she received medical care while giving many services to the community.

 From 2006 to 2010, she was again a member of the provincial council in Brescia and responsible for formation in the province.

 It is during this period that the symptoms of the disease that would take her life began to manifest themselves.

Sister Elda accepted this disease with great faith, as a new mission; she offered her life and her sufferings for the Congregation and for the Kingdom of God.

 Despite her illness, she still had the courage to return happily to Rwanda, to the community of Save, where the SMSM’s work at a school in collaboration with the Marist Brothers.  She gave herself courageously in vocation awareness and accompaniment of aspirants desiring SMSM religious life.

She rendered this service with competence, solicitude and love. However her illness progressed the disease progressed and she was forced to return to Brescia.

Sister Elda always had a concern for vocations, when she could no longer be understood because her voice was becoming weaker, she did not fail to say that she had something to ask, and the subject was none other than vocations.

When a sister who had known Sr Elda’s enthusiasm for this service learned thet she has just died, she exclaimed spontaneously: "Let us thank Sister Elda for her generous work at the service of vocational awareness in Rwanda"

 The sisters who lived with her, also testify to her gentleness, humility and patience, she never complained and asked nothing for herself.

During the last months before she died, she was struggling to eat, but was still very conscious. Even on her hospital bed she would surprise us with a question that no one could answer.

It was on the evening of August 25th that she began to say that she saw Jesus. He came to bring her to her heavenly home at 23:30 pm.  She is now very close to Him, may she contemplate Him eternally.

  Sisters Gabriella Peli and Marie Kampororo, smsm