04/04/2023
Great Missionary and the last missionary made her last Missionary Journey
Sr. Maria Cruz Moja Landaluce was born on 7th July 1931 to Pedro Moja and Rufina Landaluce a very fervent Catholic couple in Bilbao, Spain. Sensing the call to give her life entirely to the service of the Lord she entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary novitiate in Pamplona on the 11th June 1951 and pronounced her first vows on 15th December 1953 and her Final vows in 1956 in Sri Lanka.
She arrived in Sri Lanka, Our Lady of Victories, Moratuwa in September 1954. She tirelessly tended the little infants in the crèche with loving care both in Moratuwa and Piliyandala.
She recalled how she learnt Sinhala and Tamil. It was not an easy beginning yet she persevered till the end. She was a women with a great courage and faith.
She also gave a loving service to Hansen patients especially those who could not attend the clinics. In 1972 she followed a course in Red Cross Nursing and in 1988 she followed a course on caring for L***r patients in Fontilles, Spain and these well-equipped her for her work at the Mantivu L***r Hospital extending her services to Ampara, Batticaloa Bandarawela, Kalmunai, Akkaraipattu, Nuwara - Eliya, & Mahiyangana.
She was spending her evening time at St. Joseph’s, Brookside, Piliyandala from where she flew to her eternal reward with the good Lord on the 1st of April.
Farewell dear Sr. Maria. We love you! May you be happy for ever enjoying the Beatic vision forever!
