History Of AMAIBEN

The Association of Friends of Sister Benigna – Amaiben came up after a dream that Mrs. Maria do Carmo had, when she didn’t know what to do, right after the passing of her friend. In the dream, the Servant of God said to her: “Don’t do anything alone, establish the Association of Friends of Sister Benigna”. With this purpose, her friends gathered around, and on August 16th, of 1982, they founded the Association: a non-profitable organization, legally formalized by Brazilian regulations. Currently, the Association works with the mission of continuing the legacy of Sister Benigna and working for her Beatification and Canonization. Presided by Mrs. Maria do Carmo Mariano, the Association began its headquarters in Belo Horizonte (MG), and posteriorly moved, in 2008, to the city of Sete Lagoas (MG).

Amaiben gather funds through campaigns, actions, sales, and donations driven to it, so that the Association can assist families, institutions and needy communities; to bear its operational costs of spreading of the devotion and to afford the Beatification Process. These actions are supported on the principles of faith, and charity, lived and taught by the Servant of God.

In October 26th ,2016, in acknowledge of the work done byAmaiben to the society, the State Governor sanctioned the bill and granted the Association the Title of Public State Utility, as published in the newspaper Estado de Minas, in April 29th,2017, by the State Council of Minas Gerais.

Some of the activities done by Amaiben:

• Moments of Prayer of the Devotion: Amaiben gather the devotees and friends of the Servant of God on several moments, to participate of the Holy Mass, and the prayers that Sister Benigna taught. Those moments are opportunities given, so that people can fortify themselves in the faith, bringing them closer to God and Our Lady, through devotion, the examples, and lessons by Sister Benigna.
• Social Medias of the Devotion: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp.
• Irmã Benigna News: Evangelizer, the newspaper leads everyone to know more about the devotion and life of holiness of Sister Benigna. The newspaper is free, and it’s distributed bimonthly, on several parishes of Belo Horizonte and several other cities.
• Holy Masses in thanksgiving for the life and sanctity of Sister Benigna, are held every 16th of every month, in her honor, promoting the devotion in several parishes of Belo Horizonte and other cities.
• Bazaar of Sister Benigna: held 3 times every year, with donations received by the devotees and friends.
• Donation of part of the bazaar: Amaiben separates parts of products that aren’t sold to donate to needy communities.
• Assistance to the Lar Augusto Silva (nursing home for the elderly), in Lavras (MG): The Association provides supplies in order to help stocking the pantry of the nursing home. This event is held two times a year, once being because of the day of Sister Benigna’s birthday, and the other happens in the end of the year, celebrating the Christmas with the elderly. Geriatric diapers are brought, as well as a big personalized bag for each one of the elder who resides there, with, products of personal use, clothes, treats and the apples.
• Holy Masses for the Birth and Passing of Sister Benigna: After Sister Benigna passed away, two dates are celebrated in a special way by her friends and devotees: the anniversary of her birth and of her passing. The celebrations of her birthday occur in Lavras, on the 3rd Saturday of the August month, and the celebration of her passing are held on October, in a day according to the Archbishop’s availability, Since 2016, due to the transfer of her relics to the Recanto Monsenhor Domingos, in Caeté, the celebrations of her passing are now taking place there.