Maria Helena Ferreira

"It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:3 Profile Of Maria Helena written by a group of Focolare volunteers and presented at a recent retreat (February 15-18, 2013): Maria Helena Ferreira, our volunteer from Maryland, peacefully concluded her "holy journey" on Thursday, February 14, 2013, surrounded by people who loved her, and supported by the prayers and unity of many others through numerous messages that reached her during the last weeks in the hospital. She was born on May 22, 1949 in Belo Horizonte Brazil where she met the "ideal" when she was very young. She recalled once hearing Chiara say to the Gen, "If you give everything to Jesus, he will take care of the rest." This made a big impression on her, and loving God and neighbor with "generosity" became the purpose of her life as a Gen, and later as a Volunteer. She was happy when Chiara confirmed her name "Maria," and gave her the word of life "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." Through her work, she came in contact with an American family working there. She tried to love them and their culture as she loved her own and a special relationship grew between them. When it was time for them to return to the US, they offered to sponsor her if she wanted to move with them. She accepted the invitation, but, before leaving Brazil, she asked Jesus to help her find the Focolare community also in the USA. Not long after her arrival here, some members of the Focolare in the Washington, DC area came to visit her. With the love and support of her adopted family and her Focolare family, she settled into a new country without experiencing much difficulty. Over time, she made new friends, found a job she really liked, as a head cook for a priest retirement community, and was eventually able to purchase a small condo. Maria Helena had a special sensitivity to beauty. She showed it in the great taste she had in decorating, arranging flowers and plants, even arranging the food on a platter. That was her gift. Although she could have married, she chose to live her life as a single person; yet her apartment was filled with pictures of people she loved, with plants, with music, and frequently with the presence of good friends gathered for a party or for a meal. Her simple apartment, tastefully decorated, reflected her rapport with Jesus, with Mary, with Chiara, and her deep love for the Church and the Focolare. She would always dress with style and harmony, and a touch of flare, although with modesty. She used to say that it's important to dress impeccably also in the house, because you dress for Jesus. It was not rare that to someone who would compliment her for wearing a nice scarf or blouse or other piece of garment, she would say "I would be happy to give it to you if you like it!". And she did it many times. In November of 2009, Maria Helena was diagnosed with stomach cancer and underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She kept saying that she experienced God's tremendous love for her in so many concrete ways during that period. Friends, neighbors, members of her Parish, her parish Priest all accompanied her with their prayers, but also showered her with concrete acts of love. After six months, she was given a clean bill of health. On that occasion, she shared how the experience of illness had drawn her closer to Jesus and helped her experience God's love in a new way. "Now I feel that when "Jesus forsaken" is not part of my life, something is missing." The past few months the disease returned and she underwent three surgeries in three weeks. She readily embraced this new suffering, offering it for the Work of Mary, the Church she loved dearly, for Pope Benedict XVI on his retirement; the election of our new Pope; and for the upcoming volunteers' retreat. During one of a few moments of responsiveness, we told her that Jesus was waiting for her and that she would meet Him, Mary, Chiara, and all the heavenly Mariapolis soon. "Are you ready?" we asked, and she nodded. "Are you happy?" and she nodded again immediately and opened her eyes for a moment. Her doctor, who wanted to be with her at the end, said, "When we are born it is a joyful occasion and we are surrounded by those who love us; but many people die alone. I can see that you, Maria Helena, led a very good and full life, because you are surrounded by many people who love you."