Sister Maria Troncatti's Communication Skills

Sister Maria Troncatti, FMA
Communication that generates dialog, listening, and reconciliation

by Sr. Marcia Koffermann, FMA

(ANS – Rome – October 16, 2025) – The life of Sister Maria Troncatti, Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, canonized on October 19, is marked by a profound gift of communication that transcended words and became gesture, presence, and offering of life. The mission of Sister Maria Troncatti, FMA, among the Shuar people and settlers in Ecuador was not limited to assistance or evangelization in the strict sense, but was essentially a work of mediation, dialog, and bridge-building in a context permeated by cultural tensions, conflicts, and mutual distrust.

Communication as encounter

From her first contact with the Amazonian peoples, Sister Maria Troncatti became close to them, learning to listen to their cries. By treating the wounded daughter of a Shuar chief, under threat of death if she failed, she not only saved a life but also won the respect of an entire community.

This initial gesture expresses a form of communication that arises from listening to the concrete needs of others and translates into solidarity in action. Her authority among the indigenous peoples did not come from imposing discourse, but from the credibility she gained thru her care, compassion, and constant presence. Sister Maria Troncatti understood that dialog is not imposed but is built on trust.

The fact that she was called “mamacita” by the indigenous people expresses this recognition: she had become a maternal figure, someone who interceded and cared, regardless of ethnicity, culture, or tradition. Her communication was deeply embodied, marked by consistency between words and actions.

Listening that pacifies and transforms

The high point of her communication mission came during the years of greatest tension between settlers and the Shuar. When the climate of hostility threatened to explode into violence, Sister Troncatti became a mediator, literally placing herself between the two sides. Her famous phrase, “If you really love me, lay down your weapons at my feet!” was the result of attentive listening to the historical wounds of each group and a sensitive reading of the moment. It was not just a moral appeal, but an invitation to break the spiral of violence and embrace the logic of peace.

When she asked God that, if necessary, she would be the victim so that reconciliation could become possible, Sister Troncatti communicated in a radical way that peace has a price: the surrender and renunciation of one’s own interests in favor of the common good. Her testimony had concrete effects: weapons were laid down, hearts were disarmed, and a process of reconciliation began that, according to reports, lasted for decades.

Reconciliation as the fruit of evangelical communication

Sister Maria Troncatti’s ability to reconcile opposites was rooted in communication inspired by the Gospel. For her, speaking of God meant conveying, thru her life, that every human being has a unique dignity and that recognizing the value of others is the first step toward peace. Her communication was not neutral: it was engaged, committed to justice and the promotion of life.

Testimonies about her life highlight that, more than her words, it was her actions that drew people in and inspired them. She was able to create spaces for dialog because she positioned herself as a “bridge” – someone who belonged equally to everyone, without taking sides, but always favoring reconciliation. When mediating conflicts she did not simply seek an agreement, but an inner transformation of relationships, so that peace would be lasting.

St. Maria Troncatti teaches us that true communication is born of listening and of gestures that pacify hearts and rebuild relationships.

The life of Sister Maria Troncatti reveals that the communications aspect of mission is not limited to conveying messages, but implies a profound ability to listen, understand, translate, and bring different worlds together. Her experience shows that true dialog is born of empathy, presence, and commitment to the life of the other. In times of polarization and hate speech, her story illuminates paths to communication that not only informs but transforms.

A communication legacy for today

By being canonized, St. Maria Troncatti becomes for all of us today a model of evangelical communication: a woman who builds bridges where there are walls, who speaks less with words and more with gestures, and who believes in the power of dialog to bring about reconciliation. Her life challenges us to strengthen the culture of dialog and non-violence, making communication an instrument of peace, capable of creating new possibilities for fraternal coexistence.

For more information, visit the website created especially for the canonization of Sr. Maria Troncatti: https://www.mariatroncatti.org/