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Poverty
Chastity
Obedience
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Angela Merici was born in Northern
Italy and lived on Lake Garda with her parents and sister, her closest
companions. Angela diligently worked on her father's farm and was also
encouraged by her family to develop habits of prayer and fasting -- which
she continued to practice her whole life.
After the untimely death of her entire family, Angela went to stay with
her uncle in a neighboring town. Angela, obviously quite distraught over
this loss, prayed day and night to God for some sign that her family was
in heaven. One mid-day during harvest Angela was alone in the fields when
she experienced a life-changing vision: the heaven’s opened and angels and
young women came toward her singing a melody, surrounded by light. One of
the young girl's was Angela’s sister. From this experience, Angela knew it
was her purpose to establish a community of religious and dedicated young
women -- thus the foundation of the Sisters of Ursuline Order was laid.
Angela spent her early life helping others as a member of the Third Order
of Saint Francis. She led a simple life, with only a few hours of sleep a
night -- much of her waking hours were spent praying.
When Angela was 40 years old she was asked by the Order to travel to the
aid of Caterina Patengola, who had just lost her husband and two sons. On
her way to Brescia, Angela came to meet up with a religious reform
movement, Divino Amore, that catered to the needs of the time.
They established infirmaries for those
suffering from syphilis, cared for widows and their families, and founded an
orphanage and a shelter for former prostitutes. Here, Angela encountered
people and experiences that proved to be especially significant in her later
life. In only a few short years, a group of men and women gathered around
Angela as their spiritual center.
By 1532, Angela has assembled a small group of women who were her followers
and together they embarked on the formation of Angela’s community. By 1536,
Angela had won approval from the Diocese for the first Rule written by a
woman for a community of women. On November 25, Angela assembled her 28
companions and followers for a founding ceremony.
On January 27, 1540, Angela died in her small room close by the Church of
Saint Afra. There was nothing extraordinary about her death, she went
quietly home. Although, she did leave behind an extraordinary legacy in her
life's work and to the millions of women who have served God as a Sister of
Ursuline. |
