1 COMPANY OF SAINT URSULA SECULAR INSTITUTE OF SAINT

COMPANY OF SAINT URSULA
SECULAR INSTITUTE OF SAINT ANGELA MERICI
FEDERATION
www.istitutosecolareangelamerici.org
www.angelamerici.it
e-mail: fed.comp_2016@libero.it
1
2
CONTENTS
To the Readers
The History of the Federation
p. 5
Preface to the book: F. Bonini
Introduction to the presentation: M. Razza
Testimony: A. Tessarollo
Testimony: C. Dalmasso
A Thought from the Ecclesiastical Assistant
to the Council of the Federation
In Rome for the Conclusion of
the Year of Consecrated Life
Consecrated Life in Communion
Formation Meeting, Bergamo
p. 23
A Formation and Vocation Meeting in Canicattì
Days for the Leaders: Introduction by the President
Gospel, Prophecy, Hope
p. 4
p. 6
p. 8
p. 10
p. 12
p. 16
p. 20
p. 21
p. 25
p. 27
p. 28
FROM THE COMPANIES AND GROUPS

Maria Teresa Pezzotti

Nicole of Brazil

A House in Milan

Return to Mexico

Cuneo – 150th Anniversary of the Company

Bianca Piccolomini Clementini
p. 30
p. 32
p. 35
p. 36
p. 39
p. 41
INCOMING MAIL
p. 43
INTERNATIONAL MEETING
OF THE FEDERATION
p. 47
3
TO THE READERS
The history of yesterday and the history of today…
What emotion... this issue of the bulletin!
Here I rediscover the Federation‟s history: past history... in Prof.
Gheda‟s book; present history… in the events and the news from the
Companies; future history… to be constructed in prophecy and hope.
This is all about our call, which takes flesh and becomes
history... a call to consecrated secularity in the Merician charism.
I can think of nothing better in this setting than to rely on the
thoughts of Cozzano, faithful interpreter of our foundress, which I offer
to each of us for today‟s era and today‟s world:
Called to holiness: [Those belonging to the Company] do not
disturb or trouble any creature; their father and mother … can be sure
of their chastity, be glad about their holiness, be encouraged by their
good example.
Called to console and to bestow dignity: [Those belonging to
the Company] are not worried about dowries or other similar things,
they are not building monasteries; the neighborhoods are consoled, the
city is ennobled.
They are quick to do good for all, are respectful of each one‟s wishes
and of each creature, as long as there is nothing contrary to the honor
of God.
Called to renewal: [Those belonging to the Company] relish
everything reasonable and despise everything dishonest; and they do
not hesitate to dedicate their lives to the common good.
They do not intend to renew any things, they only intend to
renew themselves and others by their example, by their urgings about
values and morality. The Holy Spirit works in their hearts.
Called to bring light into the world and into history: They
are eager for every good, strong and happy, and ablaze with divine
love.
If we are like this, or at least striving to be, we may rest content
and follow the historic path with great and longing hearts.
Caterina Dalmasso
4
written and presented…
thanks to Professor
Paolo Gheda, historian and
friend of the Company, for
Heartfelt
completing such a great endeavor,
and thanks to the many people
who have collaborated. Now the history continues…
5
Paolo Gheda
History of the Federation, Company of Saint Ursula
Preface by Francesco Bonini,
Rector of the Università LUMSA of Rome
In these intense and lively pages, Paolo Gheda reconstructs a
contemporary history, post-World War II. It is also a history with old
roots in the figure and spirituality of Angela Merici, from the early
sixteenth century.
From those roots the Company draws its “apostolic dimension,”
which launched Ursulines outside the cloistered paradigm, and which was
translated into the particular formula of “secularity,” described as an
apostolate in secularity. Its original federated structure consists of many
nodes, all called to reach outward, to take care of one another. The history
of the post-war decades at the volume‟s center describes the institutional
translation of a history that has old roots and that came to be expressed in
the “new word” consecrated.
“Consecrated secularity” is a significant novelty in the history of
the Church, which, even in the pontificate of Pius XII, was heading toward
the Council. Looking back at the tradition, it could understandably appear
almost natural that, at the time of Provida Mater, the apostolic constitution
that, in 1947, formalized this way of following Christ, this state of life, one
might claim “that the Company of Saint Angela would not have „anything
… to take from the constitution…. Nor would it be expected from the
constitution, since the Company already had its own rule approved by the
Supreme Pontiff and by the bishops of the respective dioceses: a complete
and distinct rule, suited to the situation of the daughters and to the
apostolate they exercised, so that it was not necessary for them to observe
the constitution faithfully to correspond to God‟s designs, for their own
sanctification and for the apostolic works within society.‟”
In reality, the very topic of conforming to the constitution
governing secular institutes opened a debate in the Merician family, one
that moved forward to the creation of the Federation and continued,
through the course of the Council, for the whole second half of the 20 th
6
century, in the first version and then in the continuing updating of the
Statues.
The explanation is intense. Through it and also through the
substantial personalities who participated in the discussions that were part
of a complex process of development and decision, we can grasp well that
institutional formalization always functions for its apostolic and spiritual
reality. Thus we can follow a lively path, marked by ever-deeper
interaction with Saint Angela Merici‟s history and spirituality. The
Constitutions of the Company of Saint Ursula, Secular Institute of Saint
Angela Merici, Federation, approved in August 1994, represent the point
of both arrival and then setting out again described in this heartfelt work of
researching, sharing, and reintroducing the original Merician charism.
In this way the continual analysis and updating of this Merician
identity touches a larger institutional history of the diocesan and of the
universal Church, where this form of life was juridically described by
Provida Mater. It is a rich history that moves outward from Italy into an
ever-more global reality. It is necessarily measured up against the
transitions that marked different historical periods in Church and society.
In the background of this painting we encounter the protagonists,
correctly defined in the Constitutions as “daughters” of Saint Angela and
“spouses” of the Son of God, in a ministry of service that confers – to
quote the Rule again – “a new and wondrous dignity,” experienced in faith,
in sharing, in sisterhood, and in the daily practice of the evangelical
counsels. Active, impassioned, vital women who deeply live their feminine
identity and manifest it simply in the Church and in the world, with that
charism of freedom, service, witness, and creativity that comes from a faith
lived out in a tangible way.
With sure and solid methodology, the rigorous historical research
introduces the Federation, in pages based on documentation from a
complete and deep archive. Finally the book situates the Federation and its
chief figures in the complex experience of the Church in today‟s world, not
without its own dialectical traits. In conclusion, it reintroduces that original
profile that in 1958 not surprisingly accompanied the approval of this
“vetustum et praeclarum institutum” (old and outstanding institute) and
today propels it serenely forward.
7
History of the Federation, Company of Saint Ursula
Introduction to the presentation of the book
Maria Razza – President of the Federation
With great joy and satisfaction I open this meeting in the presence of the
most reverend bishop of Brescia and of the distinguished rector of the
Università LUMSA of Rome, a meeting at which Prof. Paolo Gheda‟s new
volume is being presented, titled History of the Federation: Company of
Saint Ursula, fresh from its publication by the prestigious Libreria Editrice
Vaticana.
A great work has come to completion, to which Prof. Gheda has
dedicated so much energy and passion: a commitment that has extended
through more than three years. He has done vast research in documentary
sources, studying and reorganizing the texts and documents reviewed,
putting them in chronological and thematic order, and interpreting the
meaning of passages that could be pinned down only slowly. That has
permitted him to document and highlight the essential moments along the
road that the Federation took from 1958, when it was recognized as an
institute of pontifical right, to practically our own day. But it is also
important and proper to emphasize the attention that Prof. Gheda has
dedicated. I must particularly emphasize all the intense activity of meeting
in person and through correspondence, of contacts and conversations of
various sorts with those who have gone before, laying the foundations, the
recognition of the Federation as a secular institute. The analysis of this
transition, constructed through comparison with sources unknown till this
present research, and an original and rigorous reading of them, constitute
perhaps one of the major historical benefits of this work by Prof. Gheda. In
8
some way this analysis changes the understanding that we had of the
origins of the Federation and spreads it out over a larger timeline. Above
all, it explains how the Federation was naturally the shared result of the
initiative of the Companies.
The decade from right after the War till 1958 saw numerous
gatherings, surveys, and inquiries in the many Italian Companies,
ultimately leading to their recognizing themselves as all daughters
descended from a single origin of consecrated life. At stake was the deep
desire to be perceived as custodians of a single charism, belonging to a
single form of life and therefore able to create methods for gathering
among the various Companies, which were very conscious of and often
quite attached to their own autonomy.
There was a desire not to lose their charismatic patrimony, but to
adapt it to the times and thus find an appropriate position and suitable
canonical approval inside the Church, after the promulgation of Provida
Mater Ecclesia, a recognition that in effect overrode the title of “Pious
Union” with which the diocesan Companies had previously been
recognized.
The Federation‟s history was further enriched and perfected in the
following years when, after recognition by the decree “Vetustum et
praeclarum institutum,” it was necessary to give it features capable of
combining the fundamental desire for diocesan autonomy (firmly linking it
to the Church and the local territory) with the need for recognition as a
single body, a single charismatic family.
Those were the years of the first Constitutions, of long discussions,
of searching for distinguished advisors, of exchanges on different levels:
the Congregation for Religious, consultation with experts and, above all,
detailed surveys of “the grassroots” by submitting questionnaires to the
Companies and inviting and soliciting reflections, research, and study.
Then came the years of the Council and post-Council, in which
secularity – and our institute had never been fully validated in its secularity
– became a central point of reference for consecrated life, given the link
between the laity and secularity, which was central to the re-evaluation of
the laity by the decrees of Vatican II.
9
Then followed the years of globalization, the wide expansion of the
Federation beyond Europe through new Groups and new Companies.
Finally there was a phase of reinterpretation, of relaunching the effort to
recover a vocation which had not yet been fully realized. The Federation
has always been involved in this anyway – and is committed to it every
new day – motivating and advancing to perpetuate the Merician charism in
its original secular form, of which our federated institute is a legitimate
and faithful interpreter.
All this history is well documented and well told in Prof. Gheda‟s
book, which thus represents a “milestone” in the knowledge of our secular
institute‟s history.
It is a history that we can now read in these fine pages. I sincerely
thank the rector Prof. Bonini for willingly adding his prestige to this
presentation. Then the testimonies of Bishop Tessarollo and of Kate
Dalmasso this evening will each certainly give us an important and
distinguished account.
History of the Federation, Company of Saint Ursula
Testimony of Most Rev. Adriano Tessarollo,
Bishop of Chioggia and
Ecclesiastical Assistant to the Council of the Federation
Prof. Gheda‟s Storia della Federazione Compagnia di Sant‟Orsola, which
is being published today, can be read as an account of the long road taken
by the Companies. Born of the work and charism of Saint Angela Merici,
they have experienced this journey in the secular form of consecrated life,
and together have started today‟s COMPANY OF SAINT URSULA,
SECULAR INSTITUTE OF SAINT ANGELA MERICI, FEDERATION.
This is an ecclesial reality, the fruit and result of a long and not always
peaceful path. Consequently, living in their local realities, the diocesan,
interdiocesan, and multi-diocesan Companies bring the Merician charism
into being with common features that manifest in each and all the
originality of the original inspiration of the Merician charism.
“Remember how for these ... years the Lord, your God, has directed
all your journeying,” we read in Deuteronomy 8:2.
10
Prof. Gheda‟s work fulfills the need and the desire to recover the
histories of the various Companies that have merged into the Secular
Institute, Federation. It goes back over the traces left along the entire road
taken, to the starting point, with the scope of “keeping to the ancient path”
in this time in which the Spirit asks for “leading a new life.” To use the
image of rowing a boat, the gaze is turned back and the shoulders lean
toward the destination. Looking at the well-known countryside orients us
safely toward the unknown. Memory keeps the future linked to the past.
Therefore, these decades of searching for a future have been
characterized by the need and desire to “return to the sources,” to re-read
our own history. He has succeeded in recovering both this history and the
awareness of “secularity,” with its consequences on the lives of the
Companies and of the individual members.
The nature of the Merician charism was analyzed and clarified and
recognized in the process of reformulating the Constitutions. This
reformulation better addressed women‟s identity and role in a form of
consecration within the life of the Church and in relationship with the
world. It fostered mutual awareness and formative opportunities among the
members of all the Companies. Finally, it promoted, fostered, and
supported the “missionary” commitment of all the Companies through the
spread of the Company itself in so many new Churches on new continents.
Thanks to the author and to the Companies that made their archival
materials available, as well as the Federation itself that provided so much
valuable historical material to be catalogued and conserved.
11
History of the Federation, Company of Saint Ursula
Testimony of Caterina Dalmasso,
former President of the Federation
Holding the book of the Federation‟s history, I feel as though I‟m rereading the history of my own vocation as well as that of the
institutional path traveled by the Company of St. Ursula, Secular
Institute of Saint Angela Merici. Received into the Company in 1962, I
was formed in the light of the first Constitutions (1958), which had
recognized us as a secular institute of pontifical right, organized on a
diocesan basis, as constituted and approved by the Federation. My
Company had belonged to the Federation immediately in 1958, and as
far back as 1951 had followed and encouraged its evolution into a
federation, through our vice-superior, Father Pierino Giraudo. From my
first years in the Company, I had the good fortune of being guided by
open and courageous leaders who had always prompted us to go forth
beyond our boundaries (the corner of the world where I live is Cuneo),
to open our hearts and minds to the new horizons that the federated
institute was, step by step, experiencing and offering. Therefore,
encounters, visits among Companies, meetings, pilgrimages… had
immediately involved me in youth with the desire for my own renewal
and, at the same time, for rediscovering the history of our origins, the
vessel of our charism and spirituality.
On a personal level, after years of joyful and enthusiastic
participation in the Federation, I had the gift and the responsibility of being
involved with the Federation‟s Council from 1982 on, now 34 years of
uninterrupted service on the Council in six-year terms as councilor,
president, and vice-president. The Federation is a gift from God, but the
most valuable gifts also come with responsibilities, difficulties, and
sufferings…. And yet, if I had to summarize the experience of these years,
I would have to say that it concerned and still concerns an experience of
searching, deepening, and serving the unity of our shared charism…
therefore a very positive experience. I would dare to add that without the
Federation the Company would not be so beautiful and, above all, so
12
global. Imagine, then, my joy over Prof. Gheda‟s book… a book from an
historian who is also a friend of the Company, whose friendship has
fostered his research and has facilitated his approach and analysis. For the
first time we have a book on the history of the Federation, this same
Federation that incarnates for today an institution more than 500 years old,
willed by Saint Angela Merici, the forerunner of secular consecration.
Prof. Gheda‟s book emphasizes the Federation‟s birth, evolution,
and transitions and shows us, it seems to me, two inseparable elements:
1.
God is the One who guides history, the One who, as Saint
Angela said, will never abandon this Company as long as the world lasts.
Because, if he has planted it in the first place, who is there who can uproot
it (11th Legacy, 16-17)? The Holy Spirit, who gives birth to charisms and
makes them grow, can also, if necessary, return them to dust and bury
them, or purify them to give them back, fresh and contemporary.
2.
The Church, ever a Mother, has safeguarded the charism
and has restored it in a form more clear and pure, positioning our institute
fittingly in the form of secular consecration. So the Federation‟s
Constitutions attentive to the present historical context and always open to
the future, would reflect its beginnings and traditions…. offer to all the
consecrated members of the Institute a path of holiness for a more effective
witness in the Church and in the world (cf Decree, Constitutions 1994).
I believe that it was fundamentally in reference to these two
elements that Prof. Gheda was able to state in the introduction to his
volume: “In the continual reaffirmation of such an original charism one
can glimpse the true „miracle‟ of Angela and of those who have followed
her. And the deep need to preserve their own roots and their own history
and to see these roots fully acknowledged in their canonical, apostolic,
and spiritual character constitutes the principal testimony to the identity of
the Company of St. Ursula…. Not by chance, this identity was intended
from the beginning to appear in its federated dimension, respecting the
historic autonomy of the individual diocesan realities, yet closely united,
first of all in terms of charism and spirituality – also as a movement of
consecrated women – in a clear, recognizable form.”
13
And now, since this is about bearing witness, I would like to
summarize some concepts that I find in Prof. Gheda‟s book which seem to
me to mark the Federation‟s experience:
The Federation is harmony… Prof. Gheda‟s book emphasizes
how the Companies in the Federation live out their autonomy in harmony,
united together.... This involves living both particularity and universality,
as does the Church. The Federation takes us to a full and free dimension. It
is union in the same spirit, in the same charism, united together as so
earnestly recommended by Saint Angela. The Federation guarantees that
autonomous does not mean alone. It sustains hope in the Madre‟s promise
that the Company will not fail. It fosters encounter, growth in charism and
its own way of life. It puts forth the reality that beauty and goodness exist.
It is an experience of diversity, helped to move outward by its local
character. It offers possibilities for fuller, well-qualified formation.
The Federation, according to Prof. Gheda, includes, holds
responsible, opens… The Federation is the “together” of the Companies
and is at the same time our enlarged Company, our Institute. In the
Federation one learns to place our own treasures – both material and
spiritual – in common.
This includes prayer, effort, and taking responsibility for keeping
our different individual realities harmoniously united, overcoming our
egoism and our provincialism. It calls for welcome, participation, and
collaboration, and a broad similarity in living our Merician charism…. It
requires mutual assistance, discussion, mental flexibility, and going
beyond our own needs and our own reality to open ourselves to the reality
of the whole Institute. It asks us all to make our contribution, no matter
how small, to the Federation‟s mission, without delegating or staying
away. It includes openness to a global mindset and availability; knowledge
of different realities and cultures; welcome of positive and negative
realities. It requires a willingness to move... to go outside our own fences.
This global openness was cited by Prof. Gheda in his book‟s conclusion:
The Federation “has permitted the spread of the Company of St. Ursula on
a fuller geographic and cultural scale never seen in previous centuries,
reinforcing today the conviction that the original, clear charism of the
Rule of Saint Angela will still be able to endure for a long time.”
14
The Federation rediscovers the Merician charism of
secularity… This road of secularity is not laid out with many signs or
banners; rather it is normal, daily, secular... After all, it is the road, as
Saint Angela reminds us, traveled by Jesus Christ, by the Madonna, by so
many Christians of the primitive Church, by so many saints, by so many of
our sisters. Our spirituality should be that of the Incarnation. We toil at
times to understand this in our reality and we toil to pass this message to
other continents.
The Federation… united together in the same charism… “They
were of one heart and one soul…” so say the Acts of the Apostle, treating
the life of the first Christian community. “United together, all of one heart
and one will,” says Saint Angela in the Last Counsel; “[let them be]
united and one in will, as we read of the Apostles and other Christians of
the early Church” she points out in the Tenth Legacy. Today‟s students of
consecrated life are recovering the value of communion not so much and
not only as common life, but as life “in communion.” We are surely in
good company and, in company, we must continually rediscover our
charism. If is always the right time for working together... today we can no
longer do any less. Only if we are convinced of the complementarity of all
the resources existing in the Company around the world will it be possible
to continue to hope and to see marvelous things.
This is our moment… We are now making the history, we, we are
now writing it with our own lives and with our witness as true and chaste
spouses of the Lover of us all, the Son of God. We wish one another and
take responsibility to be those women of whom Prof. Francesco Bonini
writes in the preface to Prof. Gheda‟s volume: “Active, impassioned, vital
women who deeply live their feminine identity and manifest it simply in the
Church and in the world, with that charism of freedom, service, witness,
and creativity that comes from a faith lived out in a tangible way.”
15
A THOUGHT FROM THE ECCLESIASTICAL
ASSISTANT TO THE COUNCIL OF THE FEDERATION
The Jubilee of Marcy: God’s Mercy in the Psalms
In the document announcing the Jubilee, “The Face of Mercy,” Pope
Francis directs our attention to the Psalms that proclaim and confess the
multiple aspects of God‟s merciful deeds toward humanity. This is how
he wrote paragraphs 6 and 7:
“„In a special way the Psalms bring to the fore the grandeur of
his merciful action: „He forgives all your iniquity, he heals all your
diseases, he redeems your life from the pit, he crowns you with steadfast
love and mercy‟ (Ps 103:3-4). Another psalm, in an even more explicit
way, attests to the concrete signs of his mercy: „The Lord sets the
prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up
those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord
watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widow and the fatherless;
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin‟ (Ps 146:7-9). Here are
some other expressions of the Psalmist: „He heals the brokenhearted,
and binds up their wounds… The Lord lifts up the downtrodden, he
casts the wicked to the ground‟ (Ps 147:3, 6). In short, the mercy of
God is not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality with which he reveals
his love as of that of a father or a mother, moved to the very depths out
of love for their child. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that this is a
„visceral‟ love. It gushes forth from the depths naturally, full of
tenderness and compassion, indulgence and mercy.
“„For his mercy endures forever.‟ This is the refrain that
repeats after each verse in Psalm 136 as it narrates the history of God‟s
revelation. By virtue of mercy, all the events of the Old Testament are
replete with profound salvific import. Mercy renders God‟s history with
Israel a history of salvation. To repeat continually „for his mercy
endures forever,‟ as the psalm does, seems to break through the
dimensions of space and time, inserting everything into the eternal
mystery of love. It is as if to say that not only in history, but for all
eternity man will always be under the merciful gaze of the Father.
Before his Passion, Jesus prayed with this psalm of mercy. Matthew
16
attests to this in his Gospel when he says that, „when they had sung a
hymn‟ (26:30), Jesus and his disciples went out to the Mount of Olives.
While he was instituting the Eucharist as an everlasting memorial of
himself and his paschal sacrifice, he symbolically placed this supreme
act of revelation in the light of his mercy. Within the very same context
of mercy, Jesus entered upon his passion and death, conscious of the
great mystery of love that he would consummate on the Cross. Knowing
that Jesus himself prayed this psalm makes it even more important for
us as Christians, challenging us to take up the refrain in our daily lives
by praying these words of praise: „for his mercy endures forever.‟”
This year dedicated to “God‟s Mercy” offers an opportunity to
pause longer, in our personal prayer, over the Psalms that either sing of
or invoke the Lord‟s mercy. Turning to these Psalms more often can
open us to the contemplation of the “face” of God‟s mercy, in such a
way that, as the Pope says, God‟s mercy becomes our way of thinking
about God.
Above all it is appropriate to know the vocabulary of mercy used
in the Bible and the Psalms. In fact, in the development of biblical
revelation the concept of mercy is enriched by various expressions. We
know this vocabulary directly through some Psalms or parts of them.
- In Psalm 25(24) a person sincerely eager to reestablish communion
with the Lord and with brothers and sisters, compromised by his sins,
entrusts his destiny to God and declares his right intention to turn away
from the road of sin to take up again his journey “in your ways.” The
Psalm outlines a penitential path.
vv. 2-5 The first step is to present himself trustingly to the Lord (To
you...), filled with a sure trust in the Lord‟s mercy and open to being
illuminated by God‟s word and to follow God‟s teachings.
vv. 6-7. At the center is the great declaration of faith, including an
appeal to God‟s merciful love, before which he confesses his sin:
“Goodness [rahamin] and mercy [hesed] have been yours forever, O
God, do not forget them. Hold not my youthful sins against me, but
remember me as your mercy [hesed] dictates.”
Let me linger for a moment on the words used in the Psalm:
17
-Mercy/Goodness (rahamin): literally means “womb”; it is the plural
form of réhèm, the mother‟s womb. Mercy or compassion is the feeling
of a mother for her baby: “Can a woman forget her baby at her breast,
feel no pity for the child she has borne? Even if these were to forget, I
shall not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15), or a father‟s tenderness for his
children: “As tenderly [raham] as a father treats his children, so God
treats those who fear him; he knows of what we are made, he
remembers that we are dust...” (Psalm 103:13).
-Love (hesed): mercy, love, affection are part of the vocabulary of the
Covenant. On God‟s part, this designates the love capable of
maintaining communion forever: “For the mountains may go away and
the hills may totter, but my faithful love [hesed] will never leave you,
my covenant of peace will never totter, says God who takes pity on you”
(Isaiah 54:10).
It is the awareness of encountering in the Lord this affectionate,
tender, compassionate and faithful love that makes us desire ardently to
confess our sin to him, not with fear but with the trust that we will
receive forgiveness. Jesus taught us the meaning of our „confession,‟
the inner sentiment of presenting ourselves to him, through the words of
the publican in the Temple: “O God, have pity on me, a sinner” (Luke
18:13).
vv.8-10 The Psalm then expresses for us the merciful actions of the
Lord. He is good and righteous, quick to point out anew the correct road
to the one who has gone astray and has “humbly” turned to let himself
be guided, certain that “kindness unfailing and constancy mark all
God‟s paths.”
v.11 Confession and invocation follow immediately: “Let my sin, great
as it is, be forgiven, O God, for the sake of your name.” Notably, “for
the sake of your name,” that is, by yourself, by your being “mercy”!
vv.12-14 Now the sinner has re-entered the group of those who
“respect/fear God.” God will turn to become his guide (“teaches them
the way”), will assure his well-being, will restore communion.
vv.15-21 The person praying, for his part, confirms the redirection of
his life toward the Lord, who alone can deliver him from the net he has
fallen into. See how once again he cries out for pity, now that he
18
realizes how poor he is, alone and in anguish on account of his sins. The
coherence of life soon transforms many of those who were previously
his friends into enemies, from whom he seeks to be defended and
delivered by the Lord, who remains his refuge now that he has chosen a
life of integrity and righteousness.
v.22 The final verse extends the plea for liberation to all his people.
At the conclusion we can say that his recognition of himself as a
sinner means that he already ceases to be one. To confess one‟s sin is
equivalent to rejecting it. Upon a sinner who prays and appeals to
God‟s pity and the pity of others, the guilt remains only as the scar of a
wound, a sad memory, which opens one to humble and trusting prayer
and opens one to the desire to retrieve before the Lord the relationship
of a faithful servant and of a beloved child returning into the house and
the love of the Father.
I would invite you in this year of mercy, maybe when we
experience the ritual of passing through a holy door or celebrate the
Sacrament of Penance, to pray often and personally Psalm 103(102), a
great hymn to the paternal divine mercy; Psalm 86(85) that sings of the
Lord‟s love for the sinner who yearns for forgiveness and
reconciliation; Psalm 136, a hymn to God‟s love and goodness; Psalm
146, which proclaims God‟s merciful deeds. I would point out
particularly the seven Penitential Psalms: 6, 32(31), 38(37), 51(50),
102(101), 130(129), and 143(142), in which the psalmist, recognizing
himself as a sinner before God, seeks forgiveness, calling upon God‟s
forgiveness and aid with profound sincerity. In the prayer of these
penitential Psalms the person praying is guided to walk through the
shadow of the death, bowed down by his guilt, to the light of the Lord
who is rich in grace and goodness! All these Penitential Psalms outline
a “personal journey of conversion” through humble and unconditional
adherence to the word of God, who forgives and who enables one to
pass from the realm of sin to the realm of grace. Despite his temporary
anger toward the sinner, his infinite mercy gives life.
+ Bishop Adriano Tessarollo, Ecclesiastical Assistant to the Council
19
In Rome for the Conclusion
Of the Year of Consecrated Life
I belong to the Company of Torino. In January 2016 I gave myself to
the Lord and joyfully made my first consecration,
I wanted to give myself something and asked my Directress
whether I might go to Rome for the conclusion of the Year of
Consecrated life, to thank the Lord for the gift of being called and for
the mercy he has shown me.
Know, inhabit, contemplate were the words that re-echoed
through the days of the meeting.
Know: We are all called to holiness. With our Baptism we began
to belong to the Church, and we began a relationship with the Holy
Trinity. Consecration means living one‟s Baptism fully. Saint Angela
experienced this Trinitarian mystery and has passed it on. Our primary
formation guide is Jesus, seen in the lovely image of a potter who works
the clay to create a work of art. We are in formation all our lives!
Inhabit the world… with responsibility as consecrated women,
rendering an account of the hope that is in us, remembering who we are
and why we act. Inhabiting the periphery, as Pope Francis tells us,
means going out from ourselves to care for those who are found on the
existential margins.
Contemplate: We need formation in interpreting the signs of the
times, educating ourselves for prayer, for silence, listening to the Word.
The work groups were also useful, when we could get to know
other secular institutes. The conversation dealt with relationship and
with individualism.
The papal audience generated great enthusiasm: the rising at
dawn, the frenzy of trying to get spots for seeing the Pope up close, the
long wait, and passing through the Holy Door.
These days were days of grace and unity, especially with our
sisters of the Company. We go forward with courage, sowing seeds of
joy along our path, in a spirit of communion.
Maria Lucchesi
20
Consecrated Life in
Communion
(January 28–February 2, 2016)
This is the title characterizing
the world conference in Rome at
the closing of the Year of
Consecrated Life and Societies
of Apostolic Life that I had the
graced opportunity to participate in with the President. The week of
meetings and reflections began with a prayer vigil in St. Peter‟s Basilica
presided over by Cardinal Josè Rodrìguez Carballo, Episcopal Secretary
of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life.
The first testimony presented came from St. Angela Merici:
from the Rule of the newly begun Company of St. Ursula, Prologue:
“My very own sisters, I call upon you, actually I beg and entreat you
all: having been thus chosen to be true and virginal spouses of the Son
of God, first, be willing to recognize what such a thing means and what
a new and wondrous dignity this is. Then strive to keep yourselves in
this vocation, so as to persevere and prosper till the end: „The one who
perseveres will be saved.‟” Also, “„Blessed are those into whose hearts
God has infused the light of Truth, giving them the desire to long for
their heavenly homeland, and then they will try to preserve within
themselves this voice of truth and noble yearning.”
What an immense joy to hear these words, so familiar to us,
resounding through Saint Peter‟s!
The days‟ programs followed with plenary sessions in the Hall
of Paul VI with all the consecrated men and women – there were really
a lot of us – and with specific sessions for the various forms of
consecrated life. There were representatives of institutes of apostolic
life, of men‟s and women‟s cloistered and conventual monastic life,
secular institutes, the Order of Virgins, and new forms... a great variety!
In the closing session, the fundamental importance of encounter,
of listening, and of witness was emphasized by many speakers. The
principal challenge – stated repeatedly – is to create a synthesis between
21
secularity and consecration. We must understand how life itself is a
path of formation: to form persons happy to celebrate life.
History can be read as an analysis of faith... we must insert
ourselves into history; we must be agents for transforming reality.
The Pope, speaking off the cuff – from the heart – paused with
great vitality, actions and examples over three pillars of consecrated
life: prophecy, nearness, and hope. He said....
Prophecy is telling the people that there is a road to happiness,
to greatness, a road that fills you with joy, and that is the road of Jesus,
the road of being close to Jesus. Prophecy is a gift, a charism, and it
must be sought from the Holy Spirit.
Another word is nearness. Becoming consecrated does not
mean climbing up a few rungs on the social ladder... it is not a state of
life that makes me look at others from a distance. Consecrated life
should bring me close to people: physical and spiritual closeness,
getting to know people. Nearness! Who is nearest to a consecrated
person? The brother or sister in the community.
And then hope. And I confess to you that it pains me to look at
the
decreasing
number of vocations.
And I believe that
against the temptation
to lose hope, a
temptation that would
make us sterile, we
must pray more. And
pray tirelessly. I ask
you: faced with this
decline in vocations,
does your heart pray
with this intensity?
M. Rosa B.
22
Formation Meeting
Bergamo
The second gathering for initial formation in northern Italy took place
on Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3, 2016, at Casa Sant‟Angela,
Bergamo,
Elisa, Directress of the Company, and Santina had prepared the
environment of the Casa carefully and sensitively to create a welcoming
and warm atmosphere for the meeting and to offer peaceful hospitality
to all the sisters. The spiritual assistant to the Company of Bergamo,
Father Ezio Bolis, made himself available, and his presence enriched
the meeting.
On Saturday, April 2, Elisa briefly presented the history of the
foundation of Casa Sant‟Angela.
Then Father Ezio spoke about the Sacrament of Reconciliation,
illustrated with an interesting slide show that described the important
and valuable confessional constructed and sculpted by Angrea Fantoni.
It is in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo‟s High City.
At this point nothing would do but to visit that part of the city.
Together, united as a family, the sisters walked the ancient streets and
admired the evocative monuments and gorgeous churches.
23
After a convivial lunch, the sisters gathered in a roomy living
room in the Casa to listen and to absorb presentations by the formation
guides Edda and Maria.
Edda started with a useful talk, very interesting, about secular
institutes in the documents of the Church.
Following her, Maria presented an important study of Saint
Angela‟s charism, touching on the aspects of spousal spirituality,
sisterhood, spiritual motherhood, and understanding that we really are
her daughters, united together by a single love of Christ.
In regard to sharing and conviviality, our time together also bore
the fruits of getting acquainted with sisters who had never seen nor met
each other before, thanks to a funny game led by Maria after dinner….
The next day, Divine Mercy Sunday, we again studied charism.
A charism is a gift received and put into service for many; it is a special
grace, something to be received, not allowed to dissolve into the
moments of daily life that we are called to experience in today‟s
society and Church.
Very significant questions appeared on the reflection-guide that
accompanied the presentations. These tools offered all the sisters the
opportunity for personally integrating their vocation and for spreading it
in the world.
The morning concluded with a visit to the Pope John XXIII
Foundation, guided by Father Ezio, who is its president. Its office is in a
part of the Casa Sant‟Angela designated for the various activities and
meetings of the Foundation. The sisters benefited from the visit,
observing and admiring all the documents from Pope John, whose
memory is deeply imprinted in the hearts of all of us who loved him for
his goodness, which sprang from Christ‟s love.
Mass followed, celebrated by Father Ezio, who spoke about the
Jubilee of Mercy on this feast when we particularly commemorate
God‟s mercy.
The meeting ended with a tasty lunch in one another‟s company
and (especially!) with farewells to each sister; but with the fervent
promise to see each other very soon in the Casa Sant‟Angela of
Bergamo!
Vera, Bergamo
24
June 2, 2016
A Formation and
Vocation Meeting
in Canicatti, Sicily
From North to South,
from the Alps to Mount
Etna.... We thank the Lord for this beautiful experience among the
young Ursulines in formation in Sicily and other young people who
would like to know more about our spirituality. The joy was even
greater on account of the presence of Maria Lucchesi from Turin and
Rosella Biancacci from Siena. In all, we were 38 members from the
Companies of Agrigento, Caltagirone, Caltanissetta and Catania. We
experienced a time of joy and happiness but above all of silence and
recollection, which enabled us to hear the Word of God and of Saint
Angela. Enza Arena
Deep within our hearts we heard Saint Angela telling us: “And
together encourage one another, which will be a great help.” Liliana
I spent a day listening to the Word of God in the company of
Ursulines! The main theme for the day was taken from the parable from
the rich young man. This helped me dig deep into myself and
understand what is lacking for me to reach holiness. The only difference
from the young man in the Gospel: because of his many possessions he
went away sad, but I went back home full of joy because I understood
that the one and only possession which can help us attain holiness is
God‟s Love! We all felt that Jesus was looking at us and loving us even
though we did not see him, but we believed that he was present in the
Holy Eucharist. The prevalent silence and profound attitude of listening
to the Word of God, helped! During this wonderful day, we also felt the
presence of Our Lady because, being a woman who always listened, she
was an example to us of how to listen to God‟s Word. Saint Joseph was
also with us, a man of faith who answered God‟s call with docility.
Saint Angela Merici was also present, offering us hospitality through
the Company in its center in Canicatti! We thank the Lord and all the
25
Ursulines for the excellent manner in which they organized this
meeting! Giuseppe Zammataro
In order to bear witness to our joy and gratitude before heaven
and earth and show all people that following God is paradise while still
on earth, we must lead our “angelic” life with enthusiasm and
generosity day after day, following the Evangelical Counsels and the
Rule. Angela Fatuzzo
We must abandon ourselves to the Lord and offer our whole
being to Him while renouncing fearlessly all that is not necessary,
because we are sure that, if the Lord decides to deprive us of
something, afterwards he will surely give us something more
important and precious. He should be the most important thing in our
life, our first thought when we wake up in the morning and our last
when we go to bed in the evening. God is our salvation and our love.
God will always love us even when we abandon him; he will always
forgive us when we are unfaithful... So let us love God and not only
our cell phone, our bicycle, or our computer; because God truly loves
us. Maria Rosa Severino
…We have pondered over the courage needed to accept our past
and have learnt to value our experience, gaining the strength for interior
renewal. We have learnt the value of silence because it helps us to
listen. Listening is the ideal condition for becoming true disciples and
not to give in to the temptation of becoming masters instead of Our
Lord Jesus Christ. Piera Lanzerotti
In the confusion of this noisy world, a group of young people
accepted the Ursulines‟ invitation to spend a day “out of the world” to
be with the Lord. Then they were able to return, full of the joy of being
loved by him and strengthened to refuse the false hopes the world
offers. What happened? The Lord spoke to us. When the Lord makes
us face our reality we say: Lord, you examine and know me, you know
who I really am. We are abandoning ourselves to you, purifying our
thoughts, trusting him is enough for me because I know that he is
eternal life. I cannot save myself by my good actions, but by firmly
believing that God is my Savior and Redeemer. Lucia Spitaleri
26
Days of Spirituality for the Leaders,
Brescia,
April 23-25, 2016
Introduction
By the President,
Maria Razza
These days must begin with a sisterly, sincere welcome to each and all.
This is not a formal greeting, but a cordial welcome from the
heart to this gathering of sisters who experience the joy of being
together, of spending several hours, several days speaking freely and
affectionately among ourselves, praying together, begging the „Divine
Majesty‟ to teach us what is rightly required for „such governance,‟ that
is, how to provide for the Spouses „…of the immortal son of God" (4th
Legacy 13).
It always amazes me to experience the truth of Saint Angela‟s
words, " ... and thus, talking over spiritual matters, rejoice together,
and together encourage one another, which will be no small help to
them (8th Legacy 4-6). Yes, being together is a help for all of us, a
“school” of sisterhood, a gift that we can, and must, experience
whenever possible.
This year we inaugurate a new way of helping and conversing
among ourselves. Last year a direction was suggested which provided
for greater direct involvement of leaders and sisters who might make
themselves available for a program of sharing, and might offer it to all
of us. This availability and collaboration have already been helpful,
and are helpful because they have generated the energies and readiness
needed to continue emphasizing and benefitting.
If it is true – and it is true – that we are the primary guardians
of the Merician charism, it is necessary that we personally take
responsibility for it in this way too … reflecting, studying, writing….
We must not be afraid on account of our “incapacity and
poverty” of knowledge, of means,... of training or … anything else.…
Saint Angela says that we “poor as [we] are, will find consolation and
27
comfort” (5th Counsel 34), that is, we will be at peace because we will
have done all we could.
So, my heartfelt thanks to all the sisters who have made
themselves available and have collaborated to organize these days, and
thanks to all of you for being here to speak and to share….
Gospel - Prophecy – Hope
In Our Merician Charism
During the days of spirituality for the leaders, we experienced moments
of prayer, meditation, listening, reflection, and sharing.
The opening, on Saturday, April 23, found us in the Sanctuary
dedicated to our Madre Saint Angela to experience together the Mass
celebrated by the Ecclesiastical Assistant to the Federation Council,
Bishop Adriano Tessarolo.
Then each one of us had the opportunity, to linger before the
casket of our foundress for personal prayer.
After the welcoming greeting from the Federation‟s President,
Maria Rosa Razza,
and with a brief
introduction
by
Valeria, Directress
of the Company of
Trent (who was
responsible
for
organizing these
days), a representative of each
Company was presented, explaining simply the present situation of her own Company,
Each representative explained, as in a true family, the birth, activities,
property, works and difficulties that her Company experiences.
In the afternoon we listened to a reflection by Bishop Gaetano
Zito, Vice-assistant to the Federation‟s Council, who clearly developed
28
the theme “Listening to the Word of God in Saint Angela.” After Don
Gaetano, it was Kate‟s turn to develop the theme “The Merician
charism in the light of God‟s Word.” Then Genevieve, the Directress of
the French Company, spoke regarding Church teaching.
Sunday, April 24, began with Morning Prayer together and Mass
celebrated by Bishop Gaetano in the chapel of the Casa Sant‟Angela.
Afterwards, we spent some time in reflection on “Prophecy in Saint
Angela.”
The various times of listening and reflection were guided by
Maria Rosa Razza, Valeria, and Aurora of the Company of
Caltanissetta.
On Sunday afternoon, we listened and meditated on “Hope in
the Merician charism” with the help of Kate of the Company of Cuneo,
Mirella of the Company of Trent, and Maja of the Company of
Slovakia. After sharing in groups, the Lord‟s Day concluded with
Eucharistic adoration and Vespers.
Monday, the final day of our sisterhood: in the morning we
gathered for the celebration of Mass and of Morning Prayer, then for a
last sharing in groups and evaluation and for new proposals for the days
that will be planned for next year.
This was the first time for me to participate in these days of
spirituality. I was very happy to have experienced and shared this
experience with a good number of sisters. I returned home “spiritually
“enriched,” with an immense joy and serenity in my heart. Even if each
Company has its own difficulties to confront, I am convinced that each
participant returned to her own occupations with the certainty that the
Lover of us all and our beloved Saint Angela are beside us every day
and will never leave us alone. To all: heartfelt thanks and a big hug!
Paola Seveso - Company of Milan/Pavia
29
FROM THE COMPANIES AND GROUPS
Maria Teresa Pezzotti (1928-2015)
Company of Saint Ursula, Daughters of Saint Angela - Brescia
In affectionate and grateful remembrance of Maria Teresa Pezzotti
Among the founders (1970) of the Merician
Center and a forward-thinking supporter
of the International Center of Studies
online “Saint Angela and Saint Ursula.”
Maria Teresa Pezzotti, former superior of
the Company of Brescia for thirty-five
years (1980-February 2015), died on
Thursday, December 17, 2015. She was
born on December 10, 1928, in
Colombaro di Cortefranca, where she
wanted to return for burial.
She came to know the charism of St. Angela as a young
student and, esteeming what a gift it is, after mature discernment she
asked to be received in the Company of St. Angela of Brescia.
She celebrated her first profession in September 1962 and her
profession for life in 1966. She assumed very many responsibilities
and fulfilled them with great intelligence and total dedication.
She was an outstanding figure, certainly a valuable example
and witness of how to live. She always
took particularly to heart spreading
knowledge of Angela Merici and of her
charism, which she promoted as both a
spiritual-ecclesial charism and one that is
human and cultural.
She poured out her energies and all
her talent for relationship in welcoming the
30
various expressions of Ursuline life in the world, both secular and
religious, valuing the riches and the specific character of each, in
search of possible prospects for collaboration and communion.
(From the site of the International Center of Studies:
www.angelamerici.it)
The Federation Shares in the Communion of Saints!
All the Companies of the Federation, from every corner of the
world, are united in prayer and in gratitude for all that we have received
from this splendid daughter of Saint Angela.
We all recall her welcome, her kindness, her faith, her love for
the Company. She has been welcomed into Paradise as one who has
made of her life a gift of loving service. We can assuredly number her
in the circle of the saints.
May she remain close to us.... Now, with Saint Angela, she sees
better and wants and is able to help us in every way.
31
Nicole of Brazil
Has Returned to Her Heavenly Homeland
Who can find a woman of worth?
Far beyond jewels is her value…
She reaches out her hands to the poor,
and extends her arms to the needy…
She opens her mouth in wisdom
and kindly instruction is on her tongue…
(Proverbs 31)
We all knew Nicole because we met her
either personally or through her writings
and continuous correspondence.
She was an energetic, educated,
wise, very faith-filled woman who loved
and was devoted to the Company up to
the very end.
Her secular style could be felt in
her work, behavior and altruistic
actions.... and she did so much good in
the world.
She was a pillar of strength for the Company in Brazil and for
all the Federation. It was she who started the Company in Saõ Paolo,
Brazil, and was Directress for many years; she travelled from south to
north and dedicated her energies to formation. She guided the setting
up and development of a new Company in northeast Brazil.
Formerly a councilor, she always took an active and
responsible part in the work of the Federation and through her
correspondence kept a close link with the sisters and the leaders......
up to the end of her days.
She had a long life of goodness that has now led to enjoying
her virginal crown.
C.D.
32
The Two Companies of Brazil Remember Nicole
The Company of the South:
On February 22, 2016, our dear 90-year-old NICOLE JEANDOT
returned to the Father‟s house.
Of French origin, she studied in France and graduated in
Ethnomusicology, a field of study, which tries to interpret the sociocultural aspect of music, in particular the traditional folk songs of
earth‟s different peoples, in respect to the different ethnic groups.
In 1960, when she was 37 years old, she left France for
Brazil; she was sent by the French government in agreement with the
government of Brazil, to work on a project for six years. She lived for a
few years at Caxias do Sul and Saõ Luis.
In 1977, she went to Suzano, SP, as a missionary, where she
worked hard helping families, the sick and the needy. Through the
French Embassy, the French government honored her in 2002 for her
hard work. The ceremony took place in the Cultural Centre of Suzano.
In the same year, she was awarded the title of “Suzanense citizen” at
the city hall.
She spent the rest of her days in the outskirts of Suzano, where
she taught street children music and contributed to setting up a shelter,
which is now managed by the diocese of Mogi das Cruzes.
Nicole was the first person to introduce the Company to
Brazil, where she lived till the very end. She guided the Companies in
the North East and in the South.
For 30 years she regularly wrote the pamphlet ¨O Liame¨,
which she sent to the two Companies and to the Federation. This
pamphlet was a source of help for formation for the Daughters of Saint
Angela.
She was an international councilor of the Federation and a
national councilor for the Secular Institutes of Brazil.
Nicole was also a community animator, directing seminars for
parents and teachers of the district.
33
Nicole was faithful to the Company to the very end; as Saint
Angela said, "Her only treasure was Jesus Christ.” She worked up to
the last days of her life.
We were blessed with the opportunity to be with her for so
many years, always admiring her ability, her true friendship, the way
she shared the Merician charism with others and her openness to the
world.
At times Nicole was strict with us, for our own good, so that
we might take seriously our consecrated life as true followers of Jesus
Christ.
Nivalda de Lima and Ursula Inês Schmitz, Company of St. Ursula of South Brazil
The Company of the North East:
God has called to eternal life the one who started the
Company in Brazil: Marie Nicole Jeandot.
A faithful and strong presence during our annual meetings.
For us, she was a real witness of what the bride of Jesus Christ was
to be, hers was a profound example of love, obedience and service to
the Church, with an immeasurable love for Saint Angela and the
Company.
Daughters of Saint Angela Merici, Company of Saint Ursula of North East Brazil
34
A House in Milan…
In Milan, in the via S. Vittore, the Company owns the Casa Betania: a
lovely house, restored, spacious... little rooms with everything
necessary, a very beautiful chapel, a meeting room, a dining room, a
kitchen....
In this house only four
sisters reside, elders, who
welcome all the daughters of
Saint Angela of Milan for their
meetings.
In that same house the
Federation of the Companies has
its center, with its archives,
organized
and
documented
thanks to the activity and the
earnest commitment of an excellent archivist. From this archive Prof.
Paolo Gheda, historian and friend of the Company, has drawn all the
documentation necessary to prepare the book of the Federation‟s
history, soon to be published.
In that same house the Council of the Federation can be found
holding its meetings or days of spirituality, guided by its assistant,
Bishop Adriano Tessarollo.
We are now back in this place of sisterhood, of friendship, of
sharing, of true spirituality: from January 2 to 5, 2016, we are in the
Casa Betania as the Council of the
Federation, and we enjoy the great grace of
being together, whereas we usually have to
be occupied with the needs of others.
We are grateful to Bishop Adriano
because, amid his many burdens as bishop,
he always finds time for us, to give us the
gift of his skill, his affection, and his deep
spirituality.
At the same time we are grateful to
35
the Directress, Giancarla, and to the other sisters of the house in Milan
for opening their doors and hearts to us to make us feel truly at home, in
such good company.
This house is so valuable for meetings, but also for those who
come from other nations and continents and must arrive in advance,
leave afterwards, stay more or less long.
The sisters of the Casa Betania never seem to have a problem,
happy when we arrive, when we stay and... when we leave, their
unfailing question is this: When will we see each other again? Come
back soon... we‟re waiting for you.
Heartfelt thanks to our very dear sisters in Milan, and I trust
your continuing to welcome us and to bless us with your smiles and
your affection, which we on our part return.
Please get as much help as you can; you need it more and more,
but you are marvelous.
May Saint Angela intercede for you that, as she herself
promised, the strength and the true comfort of the Holy Spirit may
abound.
With Saint Angela the whole Council of the Federation
embraces you with gratitude.
Kate
RETURN TO MEXICO
Valeria, Father Giampaolo and I visited
Mexico between January 25 and February
2, 2016, to receive Silvia Alonso‟s
consecration for life in the Company of
Trent on Sunday, January 31.
For the first few days we were on a
pilgrimage to our Lady of Guadalupe: like
many others we knelt at her feet and asked
for her protection, praying that she would
shelter us under her mantle, along with all
the Company and those who had asked us
36
to pray for them. It was so reassuring to feel her gaze, her love and her
tenderness that we were filled with great joy, peace and serenity. We
could hear her telling us the same words she had said to Juan Diego,
“Am I not here with you, I who am your Mother?”
Mexico City has 26,000,000 inhabitants plus another 14,000,000
on the outskirts.
In Cuernavaca we met the associates of Saint Angela in that city,
where they were still preparing for the gatherings scheduled for the
following days.
Finally, on Saturday morning we were able to embrace Silvia
and some of her relatives who, after a fourteen-hour journey, had just
arrived from Matamoros.
The theme of the meeting of associates and friends of Saint
Angela was “Consecration.” I must admit that for me, for us, for all
those present, this detailed study was instrumental in increasing our
awareness and enabled us to participate fully in the celebration on the
following day.
At the end of the day it was my turn and Silvia‟s to introduce the
topic “The Company of Saint Ursula – Secular Institute of Saint Angela
Merici.” We felt a bit discouraged; the people were very tired and the
hall half empty; it made me think that it was useless to talk at that time,
that it would do no good. However, my faith in Saint Angela led me to
pray that she would inspire us to find in our hearts and voice the right
words to say.
Silvia was the first to speak, relating her experience calmly and
serenely. She was so sure of herself because she felt that she was
talking to friends and could open her heart, knowing that they would
understand her.
Then it was my turn and, as best I could, I explained in halting
Spanish the meaning of secular consecration in the Company.
Obviously the speech was not too long, but I had the feeling that I was
sowing the seeds of the Company abundantly and, to my astonishment,
the audience not only was alert but also listened with an attention that
was palpable. Once more, notwithstanding my reserve and
unwillingness to speak, I felt that my speech was instrumental for the
37
Company‟s progress in Mexico. Besides, while Silvia was talking, I
was already dreaming of twelve Mexican Daughters of Saint Angela
who could carry on, on their own …
Sunday was the day for Silvia‟s
consecration; she was radiant and everything
was very beautiful.
One could see that Silvia was very
happy, surrounded by her relatives and many
friends - who were also friends of Saint
Angela.
All the people through whom Silvia
had gotten to know Saint Angela were
present, those who had formed the cradle
where her vocation had started and
progressed. Now the same people were
accompanying her to the altar to offer her as
a bride to the Lover of us all.
Everything had been meticulously
and lovingly prepared under the vigilant care
of Sister Josefina, an Ursuline nun, who had
assisted Silvia on her journey of formation during the past years.
During Mass, Silvia was at the foot of the altar, with her mother
on one side and our Directress Valeria on the other; to me this looked
like a beautiful icon of our secular vocation. Dinner, a real wedding
reception, followed the ceremony. After dinner we were entertained
with Mexican music,
dancing and colors.
The dancers and the
choreography were
awesome, and later
we all honored the
bride
by
participating in the
dancing.
Mirella
38
CUNEO - 150th
ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
COMPANY
April 17, 2016
Let us look to the past
with gratitude,
let us live the present
with passion,
let us embrace future
with hope!
Pope Francis
Let us look to the past with gratitude…
I believe that, if we think about the past of the Company of Cuneo, like
the past of each Company, we can only be grateful to the Lord for his
abundant gifts over the days and years…. He is always faithful, always
present, blessing and accompanying us.
Our hearts are also full of gratitude for our sisters who – in
Cuneo and its valleys – have conducted an institute of total consecration
to God in the world. We are grateful… for the humble and happy
witness of simple and cordial women who have enriched our civic and
ecclesial community in these 150 years.
We are happy that, rediscovering our origins in the minutes of
the establishment of the Company in Cuneo in 1866, we found a good
synthesis of our vocation: to become holy by living in a secular mode
… to cooperate for the spiritual and temporal good of the neighbor with
all the means they can, as suggested by their ardent zeal and
enlightened charity.
Our Constitutions recall that referring to one's origins preserves
and nourishes the spiritual energies capable of always paving the way for
an authentic renewal (37.1).
Let this return to our origins be a new gift for us and for our
communities… in a renewed commitment of spiritual energies, still able
to lay out a path of holiness along the roads of the world today.
39
Let us live
the present
with passion
…
The Pope urges
us:
Grateful
remembrance of
the past leads
us, as we listen
attentively
to
what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church today, to implement ever
more fully the essential aspects of our consecrated life.
Our present seems a bit meager... but we are motivated to give
all our strength to carry forward the Merician charism with a great and
yearning heart. We want to do it and we will do it... letting ourselves be
guided by the Holy Spirit, who makes all things new.
Let us embrace future with hope!
The future is built upon the foundations of the past and on the passion
of the present, and it is carried forward in hope.
Saint Angela, while promising the enduring presence of the Lord, who
will never abandon this Company as long as the world lasts… also
gives us a responsibility: Persevere faithfully and joyfully in the work
you have begun…. For every promise that I make to you will be fulfilled
for you beyond measure (11th Legacy).
I wish us, as heirs of Saint Angela Merici, the fulfillment of her
promises, because they are the Lord‟s promises too.
Kate
40
SIENA’S VENERABLE
BIANCA PICCOLOMINI CLEMENTINI
- March 3, 2016 –
HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE
Promulgation of the Decrees of
the Congregation for the Causes
of Saints, March 4, 2016
Yesterday afternoon, March 3, the Holy Father received His Eminence
the Most Rev. Cardinal Angelo Amato, S.D.B., Prefect of the Sacred
Congregation for the Causes of Saints, in a private audience. During the
audience, Pope Francis authorized the Congregation to promulgate the
decrees regarding:
the heroic virtue of the Servant of God
Bianca Piccolomini Clementini,
Foundress of the Company
of Saint Angela Merici of Siena,
born April 7, 1875, and died August 14, 1959
41
Bianca Piccolomini Clementini (Siena 1877-1959) became “venerable.”
So there is another daughter of Siena enriching the legions of canonized,
beatified, and venerable Sienese citizens.
The decree of “Venerable” is the first step in the Church‟s recognition
of holiness and, as the word itself says, the person with this title is worthy
of veneration, not simply admired or taken as a model.
The proclamation was made with great simplicity in the cathedral
during a Confirmation ceremony for children. The archbishop‟s words to
the congregation were summarized in Toscana Oggi: “Our fellow citizen
Bianca Piccolomini was numbered among the Venerable for her heroic
virtue. She proves that saints are not only from the Middle Ages. She was
Christian on a heroic scale in the way she opened herself to the Holy
Spirit‟s help and knew how to recognize the Spirit‟s presence in her life.”
Let us say a little about our illustrious fellow-citizen.
Countess Bianca Piccolomini Clementini was born into an important
Sienese family that, among other things, gave birth to Popes Pius II and
Pius III. She grew up with a serious Catholic education, with emphatic
attention to social awareness, in particular through Pope Leo XIII‟s
encyclical “Rerum Novarum.” At the beginning of the twentieth century
she collaborated actively with her brother Pietro in Siena‟s Catholic
social movement.
Pietro Piccolomini died prematurely in 1907, but Bianca pursued their
work, bringing about cultural and social and even economic initiatives,
especially to benefit young women. There was no lack of conflict with
the Catholic hierarchy of the time, but Bianca always overcame every
obstacle and kept her endeavors growing.
She became acquainted with the Company of the Daughters of Saint
Angela Merici, and the first nucleus of such a Company was constituted
in Siena in 1917. Bianca Piccolomini was its mother.
In 1920 the rural camp Santa Regina was opened. Several of mother
Bianca‟s works continue to flourish today.
Bianca Piccolomini died in 1959. In 1995 the Church declared her a
Servant of God. Now she is recognized as venerable.
From the diocesan weekly Toscana Oggi, Siena insert
Sunday, March 13, 2016, p. 7
42
INCOMING MAIL
From the Company of Cremona
comes this booklet:
A spiritual profile of Linda
Baietti, Daughter of Saint Angela
Merici
Published by il Galleggiante
Press, April 2016
The author, Father Franco
Zangrandi of the diocese of
Cremona, captures the Christian
and human characteristics of
Rachele Baietti, a Daughter of
Saint Angela, whom everyone
called Linda.
In
the
introduction
Cremona‟s
Bishop
Emeritus
Dante Lanfranconi, writes that: “Linda was his close collaborator for forty
years; she always gave this priest support and encouragement. She was
endowed with a simple wisdom bestowed by good sense and practicality,
but above by her faith and trust in Divine Providence, which is always at
work.”
In his conclusion, Father Franco writes: “I wrote these pages as a
sign of gratitude, trusting that they will be a testimony of Ms Linda
Baietti‟s good life; she was a Daughter of Saint Angela and my
collaborator for forty years. I hope that all the readers will benefit from
her good example.”
43
From the CIIS (Italian Conference for Secular Institutes):
In May 2016, our President Maria Rosa Razza was elected as a member of
the Council of Italian Conference for Secular Institutes.
Congratulations, dear President, on your election to active
participation and service on behalf of consecrated secularity.
May Saint Angela, pioneer and forerunner of this way of life,
sustain and accompany you and as you call on her for the strength and true
comfort of the Holy Spirit.
We also pray the Lord to help you in this new duty. Our heartfelt
good wishes!
With reference to the book by Prof. Gheda
Father Giordano Cabra, Elisa Tarolli’s former spiritual director,
writes:
It was a very pleasant surprise to receive the book by Prof. Gheda and ... I
immediately looked up the names under the letter T, for Tarolli in the
index..... I read everything, and I thank you warmly.
Let us move on in the name of the Lord.
The undersecretary for the Congregation for Consecrated Life writes:
Dear Ms. Maria Razza,
I thank you earnestly for the book “History of the Federation,
Company of Saint Ursula” by Paolo Gheda.
The research, the study and the love for your history will help you
strengthen your fidelity to your charism.
Be sure that I will remember you in my prayers.
Sisterly regards in the Lord,
Sr. Nicolette Spezzati, ASC
44
From the Company of Siena:
May 2016
A meeting with the President on
the occasion of the first meeting
with the Federation regarding the
administration of the resources of
the Company.
From Brazil North East
Meeting of the Company
From Burundi… a New Bene Angela Committee
We know that the Group of Bene Angela in Burundi now numbers more
than 100 members. As none of them are consecrated for life, they are not
yet a Company. We hope that they will become a Company by 2017; they
are working very hard in their serious preparation for this new
responsibility. In the meantime they have elected new leaders for the
Council, which they call the Committee, that is, a group of leaders.
We note with pleasure that they strive to make these changes,
placing their trust in young people, valuing their character and
competences ... among the most capable ... as Saint Angela recommended.
The Directress and Vice Directress are Pascaline and Pauline, whom we
45
got to know very well while they were in Italy and attended many of our
meetings.
This is the new committee:
In the photo, from the left
(front
row):
Chantale
NYARWENDA, 35 years, has
made her first consecration;
Odetta NDIHOKUBWAYO,
51 years, has renewed her
consecration;
Isabella
NINTUNZE, 59 years, has
renewed her consecration;
Natalia NZINAHORA(leader
till now), 72 years, has
renewed her consecration;
Pascaline NSHIMIRIMANA
(current leader), 44 years, has
renewed her consecration;
Paulina
MINYURANO
(current vice-leader), 48 years old, has renewed her consecration; Eufemia
NIMBONA, 48 years, has renewed her consecration; Consolata Rita
BIGIRIMANA, 39 years, who has made her first consecration; Jacqueline
NKURUNZIZA, 41 years, has renewed her consecration; behind on the
left: Languida CONGERA, 40 years, has renewed her consecration; and
Melania NTAKARUTIMANA, 46 years, has renewed her consecration.
46
INTERNATIONAL MEETING OF THE
FEDERATION 2016
Consecrated Secularity
- Living in the world -
July 19-23 - Villafranca Verona Hotel Expo
Presentations and presenters:
A Church that Speaks to the World
Mons. Adriano Tessarollo
Immersed in the World: Living One’s Baptism Today
Assunta Steccanella
Witness of a Consecrated Woman in the World
Giusy Pelucchi
Angela Merici: Living in the World - Kate Dalmasso
Round table: Women in Today’s World
Mary Cabrini, Marie-Bernadette, Silvia, Maria Pia, Ileana
Two days of meeting
plus a day of touring Venice and surroundings
For information: Rosa Maria Bernasconi
rosabernasconi@alice.it; tel. 031/986480 cell. 328 6632995
47
48