Angela
de Merici was born in Desenzano, on the southwestern shore of beautiful
Lake Garda, in northern Italy. Left an orphan at the age of ten with an
older sister and a brother, they were taken in by an uncle living in
the neighboring town of Salò.
Angela was much distressed when her
sister suddenly died without the assistance of the last sacraments. At
this time she had a vision, the first of many in her life, which set her
mind at rest as to her sister’s salvation. In gratitude, she made a
special consecration of herself to God, joined the Third Order of St.
Francis and began to lead a life of great austerity.
After her
uncle died when she was twenty, Angela moved back to Desenzano.
Convinced of the need to instruct young girls in the Faith, she
converted her home into a school. In a vision, she was shown that she
would found a congregation for the instruction of young girls. Angela
talked with fellow Franciscan tertiaries and friends who began to help
her. Though petite in stature, Angela had looks, charm and leadership.
Her school thrived and she was approached about starting a similar
school in the larger city of Brescia where she came in contact with
leading families whom she influenced with her great ideals.
In
1525 on a pilgrimage to Rome, Pope Clement VII, who had heard of her
holiness, suggested she found a congregation of nursing sisters in Rome.
But Angela who felt called elsewhere and shunned publicity, declined
and returned to Brescia.
On November 25, 1535, with twelve other
virgins, Angela Merici laid the foundations for her order for the
teaching of young women, the first congregation of its kind in the
Church. She placed her order under the protection of St. Ursula the
patroness of medieval universities and popularly venerated as a leader
of women. To this day her followers are known as the Ursulines.
Angela died only five years after establishing the Ursulines, and was canonized in 1807 by Pope Pius VII.
Photo by: Benoit Lhoest
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