«Lord, we do not ask you why you took her from us, but we thank you for having given her to us».

For the death of Mother Trinidad, we make our own the prayer of St. Augustine at the death of his mother, because it is well suited to what all of us and so many around the world, laity and Religious, families and young people, Priests, Bishops and Cardinals, who have known and welcomed the message, testimony and teaching of Mother Trinidad, carry in this moment in their hearts.

Personally, I owe much to Mother Trinidad from the long-ago moment when I was a young auxiliary bishop of Rome, when I met her and had a long conversation with her that I still keep in my memory, and I consider unforgettable. It has supported and guided my entire ministry.

Her writings, which regularly reached me, first in Vicenza and now in Turin, have not only strengthened my faith, but they have nourished my daily meditation, giving me strength and serenity for the spiritual and pastoral orientation of my life and my mission.

Every time I read them, I was amazed by the theological and spiritual insights on the mystery of the Trinity, of the One and Triune God, and on the mystery of the Church, they were so deep and simple at the same time, yet with a truth certainly revealed by the Holy Spirit, who opened forth for her the indelible riches of His saving action.

Time passes and only infrequently I have still been able to enjoy her presence and her words in person; but I have always had the opportunity to send her my greetings and assure her of my prayers and my gratitude, receiving her special greeting and blessing.

Together with her countless writings that will remain a mine to be explored, treasured, and made known to all, her humanity and concreteness have always fascinated me and reminded me of the same attitude of Jesus, who was concerned to feed the little daughter of Jairus, risen from the dead. He would say to his beloved Saint Teresina, amazed at what He had done granting her request to make it snow in August: “I did it just to please you.”

I remember an episode, in this regard, that we can define simple, which for me was a gesture of the friendship and benevolence of Mother Trinidad that I carry in my heart and every time I think about it, I am moved as the first time:

The day when I went to Madrid for the World Youth Day, I found myself without adequate shoes to walk with other friends of the Work of the Church. Mother Trinidad, heard of this and told Fr. Alfredo and other priests of The Work of the Church: “Go to the large supermarket in Madrid and buy Monsignor Nosiglia a pair of suitable shoes, I’ll pay for them.”

Dear friends, I think that each of you and those who have known and spent time with her could tell stories like this one, rich in humanity and loving kindness that remain in the soul as a precious and unforgettable gift.

Her abundant and loving personality makes her a Prophet, witness, Founder, guide and model and above all a Mother full of love for her sons and daughters with the same feelings as Mary, Mother of Jesus, of the Church and of every man.

When the Apostle Paul was about to be poured out like a libation and was about to leave this life he said: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now I have only the crown of justice that the Lord, the just judge will deliver to us on that day” (2 Tim 4: 7-8). Words that are perfectly suited to Mother Trinidad who made of them the program and at the same time the testament that she left us as an inheritance and of which we must be zealous guardians.

Mother Trinidad taught us to live and die for the Lord, to always be with Him every day, placing, in this way, and creating a favourable state at the end of our earthly life that will represent the definitive passage to blessed Eternity.

Now that Mother Trinidad has left us on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of her consecration, to go with Jesus to take that place He has reserved for her close to Him, we can hope that her intercession will be constant for The Work of the Church. This was what she wanted 62 years ago; to obey the Lord, who asked her to support His Church, despite the so many adversities affecting Her journey through history and in the world.

Jesus in the Gospel invites us to take His yoke upon us and learn to be meek and humble of heart – His yoke is in fact sweet and His burden light. The yoke of which Jesus speaks is certainly that of doing the will of His Father and it is the cross that every disciple must bear following His example.

Since the day the Lord ordered Mother Trinidad: “Go and tell everyone”, the suffering, offered for the Church, has never abandoned her, even in the very painful moments of true crucifixion, which she welcomed, being well aware that this was her vocation and her service to love the Church: to defend Her even to the extent of laying down her own life for Her.

In her testament, Mother left this example to all members of The Work and her invitation to be willing to tear out even their souls, if need be, in order to say “no” to themselves and to obey the Church. “We must feel ourselves more Church” she said, “than soul, and more apostolic than Work”.

Jesus then affirms that the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed by God to the little ones (cf. Mt 11: 25-30) to the simple, the poor and the least. Mother Trinidad is a shining example of this, which we have known in our time. This is why we love her and feel her as one of us, a “next door Saint“, as Pope Francis says, and we do hope that one day she will be able to be raised to the veneration of the whole Church.

Rome, Basilica of St. Paul Outside The Walls, August 1st, 2021