Feast Day: January
27
Also known as
Angela of
Merici, Angela de Marici
Profile
Franciscan
tertiary at age 15. She received a vision telling her she would inspire
devout women in their vocation.
In
Crete, during a pilgrimage to Holy Land, she was struck blind. Her
friends wanted to return home, but she insisted on going on, visiting the
shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the
way home, while praying before a crucifix, her sight was restored at the
same place where it had been lost.
In
1535 she gathered a group of girl students and began what would become
the Institute of Saint
Ursula (the Ursuline Sisters), founded to teach children, beginning
with religion and later expanding into secular topics; her first schools
were in Desenazno and Brescia.
Born
21 March
1474 at Desenzano, Lake Garda,
Italy
Died
24 January
1540 at
Brescia,
Italy; relics in the church of Saint Afra,
Brescia,
Italy; body incorrupt
Beatified
1768 by
Pope
Clement XIII
Canonized
1807 by
Pope
Pius VII
Name Meaning
angel;
messenger (=Angela)
Patronage
bodily ills,
disabled people,
handicapped people,
illness,
loss of parents,
physically challenged people,
sick people,
sickness
Representation
cloak; ladder
Readings
Disorder in
society is the result of disorder in the family.
Saint Angela Merici
We must give
alms. Charity wins souls and draws them to virtue.
Saint Angela Merici
As our Savior
says: "A good tree is not able to produce bad fruit."
He says: A good tree, that is, a good heart as well as a soul on fire with
charity, can do nothing but good and holy works. For this reason Saint
Augustine said: "Love, and do what you will," namely, possess love and
charity and then do what you will. It is as if he had said: Charity is not
able to sin.
Mothers of children, even if they have a thousand, carry each and every one
fixed in their hearts, and because of the strength of their love they do not
forget any of them. In fact, it seems that the more
children they have the more their love and care for each one is
increased.
Be sincerely kind to every one according to the words of our Lord: "Learn of
me, for I am meek and humble of heart." Thus you are imitating God, of whom
it is said: "He has disposed all things pleasantly." And again Jesus said:
"My yoke is easy and my burden light."
from Spiritual Testament by Saint Angela Merici
If according
to times and needs you should be obliged to make fresh rules and change
current things, do it with prudence and good advice.
Saint Angela Merici
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