In 2005 Father Luigi Padovese, OFM Capuchin, became Bishop of Anatolia, Turkey, and asked for Sister Mary Leonora de Stefano to be his personal secretary.   While living in Rome Leonora had been to Turkey from Rome at least twenty-five times as the organizer of Symposiums run by the Franciscan Institute of Spirituality, so the experience of being in the country was not exactly new. What was new however, was living there permanently and being sent as a missionary to Turkey !

In one of his early pastoral letters, Bishop Padovese pointed out that it was easier to be a witness to Christianity in a Christian environment than in a non-Christian one – this witnessing is what Sister Mary Leonora believes her mission here is all about.  Already multi-lingual, she has made concerted efforts to learn the language.

Iskenderun , the seat of the Bishopric, lies in the south of Turkey , almost on the border with Syria and only a few miles from Antioch .  The Don Andrea Santaro Centre is named for the Italian priest Don Andrea Sartoro who was killed in that diocese shortly after Bishop Luigi's arrival.  Sister Mary Leonora lives there along with three Italian Sisters of the Order of Maria Bambina, the Parish Priest and his assistant, a Conventual Brother and a young consecrated German girl who teaches catechetics in the parish.

This being the Year of Saint Paul, the Don Andrea Santaro Centre will host a scriptural symposium in May.  They are presently working on publishing a volume of all the symposiums presented there.  Bishop Padovese will present this book to Pope Benedict in Rome at the closing of the year of St Paul .  Situated so close to Antioch , the Center is particularly central to scholars visiting this year.

We can say that the mission here is truly ecumenical. We welcome our Orthodox brothers and sisters to our Sunday Masses in the Cathedral: they make up a major part of the congregation as the catholic population is minimal.  We enjoy a very open and genial relationship with everyone.  The Protestant minister also visits us from time to time and invites us to his place for certain liturgical celebrations.         

  Leonora writes, “We are a very happy family, living and working together in the service of the Lord.   My ministry entails the usual work of a secretary.  As you can imagine, there is never a dull moment, with innumerable requests on my desk each day.  The Turkish language is not easy, but I do have a gift for learning a new language and have had the opportunity to learn and speak fluently in Italian and French as well as English so I am making every effort to learn Turkish in order to be able to communicate well with these friendly and hospitable people.  Our little town is very peaceful and after my many years in Rome , I find the pace relatively slow … and I feel grateful for that.