MEMORIAL SAINT ANGELA MERICI, Virgin Foundress of URSULINE SISTERS January 27 Born in 1474 at Desenzano on the shore of Lake Garda, Italy, Saint Angela Merici became a tertiary of Saint Francis at fifteen years of age. In a vision God revealed to her that she would establish a company to promote the welfare of souls. At Desenzano she established a school for the instruction of young girls and a second school at Brescia. She gathered and founded the Ursulines at Brescia. Saint Angela was of a reflective bent and possibly the first to grasp the changed role of women in the society transformed by the Renaissance. She envisaged that those who joined her would remain in the world but devote themselves to every type of corporal and spiritual work of mercy, with special emphasis on education. However, her idea of education was very different from that of a convent school. She preferred to send her followers to teach girls in their own families. Through this she hoped to effect an improvement in social conditions. For it was her belief that dosorder in society is the result of dosorder in the family. Her idea of a religious order of women without distinctive habit and without solemn vows and enclosure was also in advance of her times-although her Order was obliged to adopt the canonical safeguards then required of all nuns. On November 25, 1535, the solemn canonical institution of the company of Saint Ursula took place in the Oratory of the Piazza del Duomo. As a patron, Saint Angela chose Saint Ursula because ever since her martyrdo, Saint Ursula was regarded as the ideal type of Christian virginity. In the year of her desth, 1540, it was estimated that at least half the town of Brescia was Lutheran or Calvinist. However, the schools was the Ursulines dpid their share in strengthening and extending Catholicism and in safeguarding Italy from what we now term modern unvelief. She was canonized in 1807 by Pope Pius VII. PRAYER. Lord, let Saint Angela never cease commending us to Your kindness. By always imitating her charity and prudence may we succeed in keeping Your teachings and preserving good morals. AMEN.†
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:36:30 +0000
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