I had the privilege of visiting Cabrini Health in Australia a few years ago and meeting with the Governing Board for a Leadership Retreat. There were many wonderful experiences on that trip, but one has stayed with me as an image I treasure.

Sr. Irma Lunghi, a former CEO of many of the MSCs’ hospitals and now, a trustee of Cabrini Health, spent the afternoon one day teaching me how to make homemade gnocchi, a process with which I had no experience, despite my penchant for cooking. Sr. Irma painstakingly showed me how to form the little dough balls, score them with a fork ever so quickly and cook them to perfection.

In the middle of this cooking class, Sr. Irma, up to her elbows in flour, hands covered in white, stopped. We were listening to Andrea Bocelli singing arias from operas, a fitting accompaniment to this Italian afternoon. Sr. Irma dropped her utensils, turned up the music and in full operatic gesture, sang the aria at the top of her voice. Her face was full of dramatic expression, while the flour on her hands dropped like snow with her gesturing.

Seldom speechless, I stood back in total delight and amazement. The thought came to my mind that “Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly.” I witnessed a few moments of that abundance and freedom in the life of Sr. Irma. What a joy!

Sr. Irma’s Story of the Heart was written by Cabrinian collaborator, Sandra Fox O’Hara.

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Stories of the Heart: The Missionary Sisters are as diverse as the ministries in which we work. We are educators, nurses, social workers, campus ministers, pastoral care workers, spiritual directors, and administrators. We invite you to share in our stories.