Women of the SFO:
         When the Baobab Falls

     Fr. Fabiano Aguilar Satler ofm

I remember the joyful astonishment that I experienced in Mozambique when, for the first time, I saw a baobab all by itself, near the road. Nobody needed to indicate it and to show it to me, because it is impossible not to notice such awesome tree, in the surrounding vegetation. Those of you who have seen the illustrations of Saint Exupery's The Little Prince would immediately know that you were face to face with an authentic baobab. And you would also understand the little prince's fear that the baobab could grow and take possession of all of his very small planet. The fact is that the baobab is more deeply rooted on earth than any other known tree. There are trees that dream of the skies and wish to touch the clouds with their height. The baobab does not. It wishes only to be very attached to the ground. Therefore it has roots and trunk of enormous diameter, with its low stature crowned with a sparse top, and this makes one think that nothing can pull it down. But even the baobab can fall!

Last 18 June a baobab of our Parish and the Church in Maputo has fallen. Venanzia Santos, Minister of the local SFO Fraternity, died close to the church, while returning to her house, hit by a car driven by a young man that escaped without stopping.  It is hard to describe, for those who did not know her, what type of person was Venanzia. The greatness of her testimony and the impact of her death can only be measured by the multitude that attended her funeral, here in our church of Saint Anthony.

Her ability to conciliate the tasks of mother, grandmother, Minister of the SFO, Legionary of Mary, member of the parochial Council, and employee of the Ministry of Social Action, was incredible. One of the things most remarkable here in Mozambique was the work she carried out among the elderly population. She was also the most respected catechist. Venanzia  was an elder of this community. There was no problem that someone would bring to her attention that she did not try to resolve as if it were her own. She had a mature and maternal attitude toward all those that came close to her. The four Christian communities in the peripheral areas, in the undesirable areas of Maputo, were started and organized by the friars shoulder to shoulder with Venanzia  and other members of the SFO.

We speak a lot about the mutual communion and the mutual enrichment that must exist between various branches of the Franciscan Family. Venanzia  was a vivid and rich example of those who help to build this. She was the kind of person who, with her engaging testimony, put to shame the life and the testimony of many friars and many nuns. She was the kind of person who was able to tear the fac,ade of our Franciscan life. Venanzia has been buried with the TAU on her chest, sign of the Franciscan life that she lived in all its intensity. We are sure that when she arrived at the Father's house, in front of the gate of eternal life, she must have asked:  "Ah Lord, show me Saint Francis!"