Mary Jane Fox
Tom and I met Sister Salvatorina Camilleri in 1986 while staying at the Mt. of Beatitudes Pilgrim Hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee. A "Franciscan Sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary" founded in the 1800's by Mother Maria Caterina di Trioni, Sister Salvatorini loved her vocation and service in the Holy Land as sacristan of the Mt of Beatitudes Chapel.
She became like a spiritual mother for Tom and I -when we would visit her, she would spend time with us, pray for us and give us little religious items as 'gifts' to share. When you see this 'little nun'...she was short, but had a strong voice and when you looked into her eyes...you can see joy, she was always smiling! She would often tell us "Go to Jesus! Keep loving Jesus!"
It was a big shock when Sister Bianca, Sr. Salvatorini's blood sister living in New Jersey, phoned us on Christmas Eve with the news. We were, in fact, on our way to Christmas Eve Mass with family. Tears filled my eyes during the Christmas liturgy as I thought about the death of Sister and of other friends we met in the Holy Land who have died. Reflecting on the celebration of Christ's birth and His gifts of joy and peace; I thanked God for the birth of Christ. We have a Savior who came to us in poverty, died for us and gave us the gift of eternal life! We know Sister Salvatorina has received this gift. I could hear her words in my heart: "Go to Jesus! Keep loving Jesus!" She is in a place where she can help us with her prayers!
She became like a spiritual mother for Tom and I -when we would visit her, she would spend time with us, pray for us and give us little religious items as 'gifts' to share. When you see this 'little nun'...she was short, but had a strong voice and when you looked into her eyes...you can see joy, she was always smiling! She would often tell us "Go to Jesus! Keep loving Jesus!"
It was a big shock when Sister Bianca, Sr. Salvatorini's blood sister living in New Jersey, phoned us on Christmas Eve with the news. We were, in fact, on our way to Christmas Eve Mass with family. Tears filled my eyes during the Christmas liturgy as I thought about the death of Sister and of other friends we met in the Holy Land who have died. Reflecting on the celebration of Christ's birth and His gifts of joy and peace; I thanked God for the birth of Christ. We have a Savior who came to us in poverty, died for us and gave us the gift of eternal life! We know Sister Salvatorina has received this gift. I could hear her words in my heart: "Go to Jesus! Keep loving Jesus!" She is in a place where she can help us with her prayers!
About Sister Salvatorina:
‘She was a saint’
‘She was a saint’
Friends we have met in the Holy Land who have entered eternal rest.
Sister Bernarda Farrugia
Father Jim Heinsch, O.F.M.
Father Giorgio Colombini, O.F.M.
Karim Abu-Ata
Sister Salvatorina Camilleri
I too have fond memories of visiting the Mount of Beatitudes and encountering Sr. Salvatorina. My first assignment as a priest was to the Church of the Holy Saviour in Westmont, NJ a parish and school served by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There I met Sr. Bianca and through her came to know Sr. Salvatorina. In February 2009 I had the pleasure of introducing Sr. Salvatorina to a pilgrimage group as we visited the Shrine and celebrated Mass. Sr. Salvatorina was a beautiful woman who truly loved serving God by proclaiming in word and deed the Beatitudes. May she now enjoy the Reality that those same beatitudes foreshadow in beholding God face to face.
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