Sr. Leonella Sgorbati

Sr. Leonella Sgorbati was born on December 9, 1940 at Rezzanello of Gazzola (Piacenza), Italy. On November 22, 1965 she made her first vows as a Consolata Missionary Sister. In her personal relationship with the Lord Sr. Leonella became gradually convinced that she was called to give her life for the Kingdom. After many years of missionary life in Kenya, in 2002 she joined the small Consolata Missionary Sisters’ community that was present in Somalia and studied the possibility of opening a Nursing Training Centre for Somali girls and boys. She was aware of the unstable and dangerous situation of the area, but enthusiastic about running the Centre, teaching, and preparing future nurses for the only hospital in Somalia.

She died in Mogadishu, on September 17, 2006 gunned down as she was crossing the road between the hospital where she had finished her lessons and the S.O.S. Village where the convent was located. Her last words were: “I forgive, I forgive, I forgive…”

Our Prayer

Eternal Father, who through your Holy Spirit, work in the midst of all peoples, regardless of their culture and their religion, look with mercy at humankind, often without peace and reluctant to forgive.

Through the intercession of the Servant of God Sr. Leonella Sgorbati, “faithful and joyful disciple of the Gospel” who bore witness with her blood to her love for you and for those mostly in need, grant us the favour we are asking and give us the joy to see her recognized as a martyr for the faith. We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord, model and origin of every martydom. Amen.