{"id":228995,"date":"2026-04-01T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/?p=228995"},"modified":"2026-04-20T17:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:12:12","slug":"vida-consagrada-dios-servicio-vulnerables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/vida-consagrada-dios-servicio-vulnerables\/","title":{"rendered":"Elizabeth, a life consecrated to God and to the service of the vulnerable"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Sister's life consecrated to God <strong>Isabel Cristone Setimane<\/strong>, The work of the Mozambique missionary is expressed in a journey of faith and dedication that he wishes to share with deep gratitude and hope. From his childhood in Mozambique to his current training in <a href=\"https:\/\/es.pusc.it\/canonico\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/es.pusc.it\/canonico\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Canon Law in Rome<\/a>, her story intertwines the faith received in her family, the discovery of her religious vocation, the service to the smallest and most vulnerable, the social difficulties of her country and the <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/donar\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/donar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">support from the CARF Foundation<\/a>, which allows you to better prepare for <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/servir-a-la-iglesia\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/servir-a-la-iglesia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">serving the Church<\/a> and his congregation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Born in Quelimane in 1987, Isabel is in her third year of her degree in Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. Her vocation of service to the most vulnerable is coupled with a deep gratitude towards those who make her formation possible, especially the <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CARF Foundation<\/a>, who accompanies her on her academic and spiritual journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She is the fifth daughter of a deeply religious family. Since her childhood she has known the path of faith: she received catechesis, the sacraments and actively participated in various parish ministries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\ud83e\udd70 I LIVE MY VOCATION TRYING TO DO AS MUCH GOOD AS I CAN \u2764\ufe0f\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OxVAtmhb7n8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After her First Communion, she joined the vocation group, moved by an early desire to consecrate herself as a religious and serve the most vulnerable, especially children in poverty and abused women. After three years of vocational formation, she met <strong>the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Victories<\/strong>, founded in 1884 on the island of Madeira (Portugal) by the Venerable Mary Jane Wilson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"de-la-consagracion-a-la-mision-una-experiencia-que-transformo-su-vida\">Life consecrated to God: the path that marked his vocation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2007, she was admitted to the congregation, where she began her aspirancy. She is especially grateful that her parents respected her decision to <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/religiosa-de-la-india-estudia-comunicacion\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/religiosa-de-la-india-estudia-comunicacion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">to consecrate herself as a religious sister<\/a>. During her years of training, her trainers accompanied her and guided her in the follow-up of her training. <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/jesucristo-esperanza-catequesis-papa-leon-xiv\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"224012\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jesus Christ<\/a>, drawing inspiration from the example of the venerable Mary Jane Wilson and <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/san-francisco-de-asis-pobreza-fiesta-sacerdotes\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/san-francisco-de-asis-pobreza-fiesta-sacerdotes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">St. Francis of Assisi<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After three years of preparation, on December 8, 2011, by the grace of God, she made her first vows in the chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, in the novitiate house in <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/antidius-kaijage-seminarista-tanzania-formacion\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"228303\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mozambique<\/a>. Soon after, she was sent on mission to the diocese of Gur\u00fa\u00e8, in the province of Zambezia, where she took care of 125 children, some of them orphans. \u00abThere I was able to live, learn and experience the love of God. <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/domingo-de-la-palabra-de-dios\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"183175\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">God<\/a> reflected in the faces of the little ones,\u00bb he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The direct contact with the suffering of those children -many of them marked by the <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/herencias-y-legados-solidarios-que-construyen-fe\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"228545\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">death<\/a> her mothers during childbirth - profoundly transformed her way of looking at life. This experience taught her to appreciate everything and to discover <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/libro-heridas-que-sanan-erik-varden-foro-omnes\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/libro-heridas-que-sanan-erik-varden-foro-omnes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the beauty that remains even in the midst of pain<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00abI learned to live with the essentials and to cultivate simplicity with them. In that reality, marked by the <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/sacerdote-haiti-meses-sin-celebrar-eucaristia\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"228691\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">poverty<\/a> but also by a generous and loving dedication, I discovered in every glance the beauty of my vocation: to be consecrated to serve, and not to be served, following the style of <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/la-historia-de-jesus-de-nazaret\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"183067\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jesus<\/a>\u00bb he says with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"la-mision-con-los-mas-vulnerables\">The mission at the service of the vulnerable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The congregation took on this mission in response to the cry of the people of the diocese of Gur\u00fa\u00e8. With deep gratitude to God, the sisters continue to devote themselves to the care of the little ones, especially in the orphanage. <em>Mary Jane Wilson<\/em>, in Lioma. Despite the difficulties, they remain firm in their commitment, always seeking the good of the children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this context, she thanks her congregation for the opportunity to have been part of this mission. \u00abFrom a very young age, I felt the desire to <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/enrique-shaw-venerable-empresario-argentina\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"227054\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">work<\/a> and defend the most fragile, those who are excluded and have no voice. I live my <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/sacerdocio\/vocacion-sacerdotal\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/sacerdocio\/vocacion-sacerdotal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vocation<\/a> as an active collaboration in the mission of Christ, seeking to do as much good as possible\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"una-familia-marcada-por-la-dificultad\"><strong>A family marked by hardship<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2024 he lost his father, an event that deeply marked his family. Since then, his situation has changed significantly. His mother, a farmer with no access to formal education, has managed the family in a very difficult environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"677\" src=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_20230601_112313_448.webp\" alt=\"Vida consagrada servicio Dios\" class=\"wp-image-228996\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4771665659174589;width:792px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_20230601_112313_448.webp 1000w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_20230601_112313_448-300x203.webp 300w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_20230601_112313_448-150x102.webp 150w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_20230601_112313_448-768x520.webp 768w, https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_20230601_112313_448-18x12.webp 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Isabel cares for dozens of children, a dedication of her life to the care of the vulnerable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Although her siblings have finished their studies, they are currently looking for work, a particularly complex task in the context of Mozambique. This situation causes her moments of discouragement, but, sustained by God's grace, she maintains her determination to continue her work. <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/jesucristo-esperanza-catequesis-papa-leon-xiv\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"224012\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hope<\/a> that they will be able to move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00abThe reality of the country exacerbates these difficulties: poverty, food shortages, unemployment and the conflict in the north have further hardened living conditions. In spite of everything, my family continues to struggle with fortitude, relying on faith and the <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/cuaresma-perdon-dios-conversion-cristiana\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/cuaresma-perdon-dios-conversion-cristiana\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">trust in God<\/a>\".<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"formarse-para-servir-una-mision-al-servicio-de-la-iglesia\"><strong>Formation for service: a mission at the service of the Church<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Six years later, she made her definitive commitment to the Franciscan Congregation of Our Lady of Victories. A short time later, she took on the mission of formator of young people in the first stages of their vocational journey. Although demanding, she lived this responsibility with depth, to the point of being able to affirm: \u00abI feel happy and fulfilled in the mission of serving Christ\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At present, the Congregation welcomes vocations mainly from Africa and Asia. Faced with the challenges posed by the mission of the Church, especially in the places to which they are sent, a solid preparation is necessary, also in the juridical field. In spite of limited resources, the Congregation seeks to train its sisters to better respond to this service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this context, he is currently in Rome, in the <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/sacerdocio\/formacion-de-sacerdotes\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/sacerdocio\/formacion-de-sacerdotes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pontifical University of the Holy Cross<\/a>, where he studied Canon Law. There she experiences a close and demanding academic environment, which favors learning and personal growth. As she herself expresses, \u00abI feel accompanied, helped and understood by the professors\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His stay in Rome was in response to his desire to better prepare himself to serve God, the Church and his congregation. For this reason, he expresses his deep gratitude to the partners, benefactors and friends of the CARF Foundation, whose help makes his formation and training possible. <a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/donar\/legado-testamento-solidario\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/donar\/legado-testamento-solidario\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sustains its academic path<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/jesus-o-mahoma-quien-tiene-razon\/\">Gerardo Ferrara<\/a><\/strong><br>BA in History and Political Science, specializing in the Middle East.<br>Responsible for the student body Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><p><strong>Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#de-la-consagracion-a-la-mision-una-experiencia-que-transformo-su-vida\">Life consecrated to God: the path that marked his vocation<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#la-mision-con-los-mas-vulnerables\">The mission at the service of the vulnerable<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Isabel Cristone Setimane, a Mozambican nun of the Franciscan Congregation of Our Lady of Victories, is studying Canon Law at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, thanks to the support of the CARF Foundation. Her aim: to serve the Church in greater depth.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":229018,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[109],"tags":[382,187,126,182],"class_list":["post-228995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-historias","tag-mozambique","tag-religiosa","tag-roma","tag-testimonio"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228995"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228995\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":229410,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228995\/revisions\/229410"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/229018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fundacioncarf.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}