Servant of God Ambrosia Sabatovycz

Sr. Ambrosia
Her Life
Sister Ambrosia Anna Sabatovycz was born on August 2, 1894, in the village of Turynka, near Zhovkva, in Western Ukraine, into the family of Nicholas Sabatovycz and Justine Skoropad. She was baptized and chrismated that same day, and was given the name, Anna.
In September of 1895, together with her parents and four-year-old brother, Ivan, she emigrated to Brazil. The Sabatovycz family settled in a colony not far from the city of Prudentopolis, where Anna grew up in the deeply Christian spirit which permeated their household.
When Anna reached 23 years of age, she decided to consecrate her life to the service of God in the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate. On August 28, 1917, she entered the Congregation in Prudentopolis. During the clothing ceremony, she received the religious name, Sister Ambrosia. On December 22, 1925, Sr. Ambrosia professed her perpetual vows, consecrating herself to Jesus until death.
Sister Ambrosia was missioned in various homes of the Congregation, working in the kitchen and performing various domestic duties. In Rio-das-Antas, a colony near Cruz Machado, she cared for the sick with great love and self-giving, demonstrating thus the particular charism of sacrificial love for neighbour.
Sister Ambrosia was of short stature, but physically and spiritually strong. Hard-working, fervent and self-giving, pious, simple, humble and at the service of all, she was always ready to help those who asked her. She loved children and, caring for them in an orphanage, diligently saw to their human and Christian upbringing.
The life of Sr. Ambrosia was always centered on God and love of neighbour. For this reason, she was always ready to sacrifice herself. On February 28, 1943, Sister Ambrosia fulfilled a heroic act of greatest love during a tragic house fire, the result of arson, which destroyed the home of the Sisters in Rio-das-Antas. She died a true martyr together with six girls, who lived with the Sisters. Her burned body was found holding in an embrace the smallest of the girls. She was buried in the cemetery of Rio-das-Antas, not far from the burned house.
Some years later, at the place of the conflagration, a stone monument resembling a grave was erected, on top of which a cross was placed with the names of the innocent victims of the fire, in memory of those who died in that tragedy.
Immediately after the death of Sr. Ambrosia and the girls: Anna, Lidia, Amelia, Anita, Carmelia and Lourdes, various local people, especially parents of those lost, began to turn to them in prayer, entrusting their needs to them, and their prayers were often heard. Yet it was only with the 50th anniversary of their death that the prayer for the intercession of Sr. Ambrosia spread among the faithful, and the opinion of her holiness became more evident. Now many people receive from God great graces through her intercession.
Her Process
At the end of January, 2008, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave a “nihil obstat” (no obstacles) to the request of His Excellency Bishop Volodymyr Kovbych, OSBM, of Curitiba, to start the process of canonization of the Servant of God Sister Ambrosia Anna Sabatovycz.
On May 30, 2008, on the feast of Christ the Lover of Mankind, the eparchial phase of Beatification of Sister Ambrosia Anna Sabatovych was officially opened.
In the village of Rio-das-Antas, near Cruz Machado, Brazil, the Very Reverend Bishop Volodymyr Kovbych, Eparch of Curitiba, was main celebrant at a Pontifical Divine Liturgy, which was the opening of the process of beatification of the Servant of God, Ambrosia Anna Sabatovycz, SSMI. Concelebrating with Bishop Volodymyr was Very Reverend Bishop Daniel Kozlynskyj, Assistant Bishop of Curitiba, and about 20 priests.
At Liturgy, also present were: the General Superior of the SSMI, Sr. Janice Soluk, who was conducting canonical visitations in the Brazilian province at the time, the Provincial Superior, Sr. Egidia Pastuch, with her Provincial Council, over 70 Sisters Servants, and members of other communities.
After the Divine Liturgy, according to Church norms, a session was held to open the process, during which the nominations of the members of the tribunal were confirmed.
Her Commemoration Day
The Servant of God Ambrosia will not have an official Feast Day assigned to her until she is proclaimed Blessed. But she is commemorated every year, on the date of her passing, February 28, with Divine Liturgy celebrated in the parish church of Rio-das-Antas. The SSMI Community of Brazil pray specially for her cause on the 28th of every month.
PRAYER through the intercession of the Servant of God Ambrosia
Lord, Jesus Christ, You who said:
“No one can love more than
when he gives his life for his friends,”
I glorify You and thank You
that You called Your servant, Sister Ambrosia,
to consecrate her life
in the Congregation of the
Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate
for the greater glory of God,
honour to the Immaculate Virgin Mary,
and the good of her brothers and sisters,
a consecration which was crowned with the act
of heroic love for her neighbour
at the moment of her death.
Through Your infinite merits, and through the intercession
of the Most Holy Mother of God,
glorify Sister Ambrosia with the glory of Your saints,
and grant me the grace that I sincerely ask,
through her intercession. Amen.
Our Father; Hail Mary; Glory be
(with ecclesiastic approval)
Acknowledgment of prayers answered and graces received through the intercession of Sr. Ambrosia may be forwarded to the following address:
Irmãs Servas de Maria Imaculada – Postulação
- Postal, 383
08811-970 Curitiba – Pr
Telefone: (41) 3322-1744 or 3223-7759
Or
Irmas Servas de Maria Imaculada
POSTULAÇÃO
- postal 32
84620-000 Cruz Machado – PR
Telefone: (42) 3554-1462