Sister Amalia del Carmen Gandarillas Carreño

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NORTH SMITHFIELD — Sister Amalia del Carmen Gandarillas Carreño, 99, the daughter of Macario Gandarillas and Julia Carreño, died on March 13, 2017 at St. Antoine’s Residence.

Sister was born in Santiago, Chile, an only child whose mother died at an early age. Her father brought her to the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in Santiago, Chile, where she received her education. After that, Amalia studied typing and bookkeeping at Instituto Casa de Maria in Santiago.

She entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1942 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she ministered as a teacher of typing and also as a receptionist.

In 1950, Sister was missioned to Peru, Requena-Amazon, where she ministered as a nurse or as a teacher, and sacristan. Wherever she ministered as a nurse, teacher or a sacristan, she was dearly loved and appreciated. Sister Amalia was also a talented musician who served her community as an organist for prayer services.

Other services of Sister Amalia in Peru were in the communities of Moqueua, Arequipa, Paramonga, Yurimagas, and Lima where she was in charge of the house of the Nunciature.

In March of 1972, Sister Amalia was missioned to Colombia, where she continued her mission at the Institute Vera Cruz, Santa Rosa de Cabal in the region of Risaralda. There, Sister Amalia was a religion and music teacher.

In 1978, Sister was missioned to the United States to McMahon Child Care Services for Children in New York City, where her ministry was Pastoral Care. When McMahon Child Care Facility closed, her community moved to Holy Name Community at 97th St., New York where Sr. Amalia served as a volunteer in Pastoral Care for 25 years at Bellevue Hospital. She ministered to those who were hospitalized bringing them the comfort of the Eucharist, encouraging and praying with them. In addition to her ministry at Bellevue hospital, she served full-time as Sacristan in St. Francis of Assisi Church and as a volunteer Hospital Chaplain in New York. After 25 years of volunteer service at Bellevue Hospital, she was honored at a special ceremony. As her community’s local coordinator wrote: “Some people work very quietly with little recognition mainly because their involvement with service to others is sometimes hidden and not even known. Sister Amalia Gandarillas, here with us at Holy Name community, is one of those persons.”

There are no family survivors.

A Mass of Christian Burial was offered on Thursday, March 23, at Holy Family Chapel, North Providence.