“From June 7 to 10, 2025, I had the gift of making a special visit to the Italian Hospital of La Plata— a place deeply meaningful to me and to all Canossians. It is there that we live in community, at the service of the mission entrusted to us: “to care for life and offer consolation in suffering.”
This mission intertwines two essential dimensions: the professional, through nursing and health care, and the pastoral, through presence and compassionate listening in moments of pain.
I describe this visit as special not only because it was a time of reunion, but also because it was a canonical visit. What does that mean? It is an official visit carried out by the Major Superiors of religious congregations at the international level to their communities. The aim is to accompany, encourage, and support them in remaining faithful to their mission, vision, and the values of their charism.
Although it is official, a canonical visit retains a deeply fraternal character: it is a time of accompaniment, of listening and dialogue with the Sisters and with those who share our mission—fostering the growth of every member.
Our Canossian Congregation, founded in Verona (Italy), has a history of 217 years. Today, we are nearly 2,000 Sisterspresent in 32 countries across 5 continents.
From 2022 to 2028, I have been serving as a member of the General Council, the team responsible for carrying out canonical visits around the world during this six-year term.
So far, we have visited:
– 52 communities in Italy
– 20 in the Philippines
– 2 in Japan
– 11 in Hong Kong
– 9 in Indonesia
– 7 in Singapore
– 4 in Malaysia
Now it is the turn of the 11 communities in Argentina and 2 in Paraguay.
The General Council, based in Rome, is international in its composition: each of us represents a continent.
Mother Sandra Maggiolo (Superior General) is from Italy (Europe); Mother Josemary Keelath (Vicar General) from India (Asia); and the three General Councillors are: Mother Melissa Dwyer from Australia (Oceania), Mother Albertina Luiz Dos Santos from São Tomé and Príncipe (Africa), and myself, representing the Americas.
Weaving Together Canossian Life and the Hospital
At the age of 23, I consecrated my life to God. At 27, I joined the community at the Italian Hospital. I have always said that the hospital was for me a true “school of life.”
I arrived there as a young religious Sister and served in various departments, growing and learning from all that life teaches through human relationships: caring for the sick, speaking with patients and their families, working alongside healthcare teams.
Over time, I also took on management roles within the hospital and later served as Superior of the community. Eventually, I was called to serve as Provincial Superior for the communities in Argentina and Paraguay.
They were beautiful years—full of challenges and rich in personal growth.
Now I have returned to the hospital with a renewed perspective, enriched by the experiences I’ve had in other countries.
During this canonical visit, I met with the Sisters of the community, Fr. Jorge Masuelli (chaplain), Fr. Mariano Salvador (pastor of San Cayetano Parish), and the Nursing Supervision Team.
I visited the hospital and the Level III Intensive Care Unit in City Bell.
Together with Mother Sandra Maggiolo (Superior General), Mother María José Dahn (Provincial Superior), and Mother Andrea Roblero (community superior), we met with Dr. Roberto Martínez, the hospital’s General Director, and Virginia Mainetti, Director of Training and Research.
Together, we reflected on the past, appreciated the present, and committed ourselves to planning the future—strengthening the ties between two precious institutions: the Canossian Institute, with its 217 years of life, and the Italian Hospital, with its 136 years.
In this spirit of mutual collaboration, we continue to share core values: solidarity, professionalism, integrity, respect, and spirituality.
From the Heart…
I would like to conclude by expressing the deep emotion I felt throughout this beautiful experience—one that held a double meaning for me: the joy of feeling at home, and the grace of returning as a Visitator.
I pray that this “friendly and canonical” visit may bear fruit for the good of the La Plata community and the entire country.
May we always be instruments in the service of life, of consolation, and of humanization, as we renew our commitment to institutional collaboration and work to build a future of hope for all those connected to the Hospital”.
Mother Mariana Litmanovich, General Counselor
