Rose Venerini
Encyclopedia
Saint Rosa Venerini was the founder of a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women, often called the Venerini Sisters. Rosa Venerini died a saintly death in the community of St. Mark's
in Rome on the evening of May 7, 1728.
She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI
on October 15, 2006.
, Italy. Her father, Goffredo, originally from Castelleone di Suasa
, (Ancona), after having completed his doctorate in medicine at Rome
, moved to Viterbo where he practiced the medical profession brilliantly in the Grand Hospital. From his marriage to Marzia Zampichetti, of an ancient family of Viterbo, four children were born: Domenico, Maria Maddalena, Rosa and Orazio.
According to her first biographer, Father Girolamo Andreucci, S.J.
, she made a vow to consecrate her life to God at the age of seven. At age twenty, Rosa raised questions about her own future. In the autumn of 1676, on the advice of her father, Rosa entered the Dominican Monastery of St. Catherine, with the prospect of fulfilling her vow. With her Aunt Anna Cecilia beside her, she learned to listen to God in silence and in meditation
. She remained in the monastery for only a few months because the sudden death of her father forced her to return to her mother. Her brother Domenico then died at only 27 years of age; a few months later her mother died.
In the meantime, Maria Maddalena married. There remained at home only Orazio and Rosa, by now twenty-four years old. Rosa began to gather the girls and women of the area in her own home to recite the rosary. The way in which the girls and women prayed, and above all, their conversation before and after the prayer, opened the mind and heart of Rosa to a sad reality: the woman of the common people was a slave of cultural, moral and spiritual poverty. She then understood a higher mission which she gradually identified, in the urgent need to dedicate herself to the instruction and Christian
formation of young women, not with sporadic encounters, but with a school, understood in the real and true sense of the word.
On August 30, 1685, with the approval of the Bishop of Viterbo, Cardinal Urbano Sacchetti, and the collaboration of two friends, Gerolama Coluzzelli and Porzia Bacci, Rosa left her father’s home to begin her first school, according to an innovative plan that had matured in prayer and her search for the will of God. The first objective of this foundress was to give the girls of the common people a complete Christian formation and prepare them for life in society. Without great pretense, Rosa opened the first “Public School for Girls in Italy”. The origins were humble but the significance was prophetic: the human promotion and spiritual uplifting of women was a reality that did not take long to receive the recognition of the religious and civil authorities.
who had taken to heart the education of ignorant girls. Rosa faced everything for the love of God and with her characteristic strength, continuing on the path that she had undertaken, by now sure that she was truly following the plan of God. The fruits proved her to be right. The same pastors recognized the moral improvement that the work of education generated among the girls and mothers.
The validity of this initiative was acknowledged and its fame went beyond the confines of the diocese. Mark Antonio Cardinal Barbarigo, Bishop of Montefiascone, understood the Viterbo project and he called Rosa to his diocese. From 1692 to 1694, she opened ten schools in Montefiascone and the villages surrounding Lake Bolsena
. The cardinal provided the material means and Rosa made the families aware, trained the teachers, and organized the schools. When she had to return to Viterbo to attend to her first school, Rosa entrusted the schools and the teachers to the direction of a young woman, Lucia Filippini, in whom she had seen particular gifts of mind, heart and spirit.
After the openings in Viterbo
and Montefiascone
, other schools were started in Lazio. Rosa reached Rome in 1706, but the first experience in Rome was a failure, which caused her to wait six long years before regaining the trust of the authorities. On December 8, 1713, with the help of Abate Degli Atti, a friend of the Venerini family, Rosa was able to open one of her schools in the center of Rome at the foot of the Campidoglio.
On October 24, 1716, they received a visit from Pope Clement XI
, accompanied by eight cardinals, who wanted to attend the lessons. At the end of the morning he addressed these words to Rosa: “Signora Rosa, you are doing that which we cannot do. We thank you very much because with these schools you will sanctify Rome ”.
From that moment on, governors and cardinals asked for schools for their areas. The duties of the foundress became intense, consisting of travels and hard work interwoven with joys and sacrifices for the formation of new communities. Wherever a new school sprang up, in a short time a moral improvement could be noted in the youth.
Rosa Venerini died a saintly death in the community of St. Mark's
in Rome on the evening of May 7, 1728. She had opened more than forty schools. Her remains were entombed in the nearby Church of the Gesù, so loved by her. In 1952, on the occasion of her beatification
, they were transferred to the chapel of the generalate in Rome.
After her first contacts with the Dominican Fathers at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Oak Tree, near Viterbo, she followed the austere spirituality of Ignatius of Loyola
under the direction of the Jesuits, especially Father Ignatius Martinelli.
After having made its contribution to the Italian immigrants to the USA from 1909 and in Switzerland from 1971 to 1985, the Congregation extended its apostolic activity to other lands: India, Brazil, Cameroon, Romania, Albania, Chile, Venezuela and Nigeria.
Saint Rose Venerini (born 1656 in Viterbo
; died at Rome
in 1728) was an Italian
nun who set up the first school for girls in Italy.
She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI
on October 15, 2006.
St. Mark's
- Europe :* St. Mark's Church, Belgrade, Serbia* St. Mark's Church, Zagreb, CroatiaItaly* St Mark's Basilica, Venice* St Mark's Campanile, Venice- North America :United States* St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church...
in Rome on the evening of May 7, 1728.
She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on October 15, 2006.
Early life
She was born in ViterboViterbo
See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...
, Italy. Her father, Goffredo, originally from Castelleone di Suasa
Castelleone di Suasa
Castelleone di Suasa is a town and comune within the Province of Ancona, in the Marche region of Italy.It is well known for the archaeological park of Suasa, an ancient Roman town....
, (Ancona), after having completed his doctorate in medicine at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, moved to Viterbo where he practiced the medical profession brilliantly in the Grand Hospital. From his marriage to Marzia Zampichetti, of an ancient family of Viterbo, four children were born: Domenico, Maria Maddalena, Rosa and Orazio.
According to her first biographer, Father Girolamo Andreucci, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, she made a vow to consecrate her life to God at the age of seven. At age twenty, Rosa raised questions about her own future. In the autumn of 1676, on the advice of her father, Rosa entered the Dominican Monastery of St. Catherine, with the prospect of fulfilling her vow. With her Aunt Anna Cecilia beside her, she learned to listen to God in silence and in meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
. She remained in the monastery for only a few months because the sudden death of her father forced her to return to her mother. Her brother Domenico then died at only 27 years of age; a few months later her mother died.
In the meantime, Maria Maddalena married. There remained at home only Orazio and Rosa, by now twenty-four years old. Rosa began to gather the girls and women of the area in her own home to recite the rosary. The way in which the girls and women prayed, and above all, their conversation before and after the prayer, opened the mind and heart of Rosa to a sad reality: the woman of the common people was a slave of cultural, moral and spiritual poverty. She then understood a higher mission which she gradually identified, in the urgent need to dedicate herself to the instruction and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
formation of young women, not with sporadic encounters, but with a school, understood in the real and true sense of the word.
On August 30, 1685, with the approval of the Bishop of Viterbo, Cardinal Urbano Sacchetti, and the collaboration of two friends, Gerolama Coluzzelli and Porzia Bacci, Rosa left her father’s home to begin her first school, according to an innovative plan that had matured in prayer and her search for the will of God. The first objective of this foundress was to give the girls of the common people a complete Christian formation and prepare them for life in society. Without great pretense, Rosa opened the first “Public School for Girls in Italy”. The origins were humble but the significance was prophetic: the human promotion and spiritual uplifting of women was a reality that did not take long to receive the recognition of the religious and civil authorities.
Expansion
The initial stages were not easy. The three maestre (teachers) had to face the resistance of clergy who considered the teaching of the catechism as their private office. But the harshest suspicion came from conformists who were scandalized by the boldness of this woman of the upper middle class of ViterboViterbo
See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...
who had taken to heart the education of ignorant girls. Rosa faced everything for the love of God and with her characteristic strength, continuing on the path that she had undertaken, by now sure that she was truly following the plan of God. The fruits proved her to be right. The same pastors recognized the moral improvement that the work of education generated among the girls and mothers.
The validity of this initiative was acknowledged and its fame went beyond the confines of the diocese. Mark Antonio Cardinal Barbarigo, Bishop of Montefiascone, understood the Viterbo project and he called Rosa to his diocese. From 1692 to 1694, she opened ten schools in Montefiascone and the villages surrounding Lake Bolsena
Lake Bolsena
Lake Bolsena is a crater lake of central Italy, of volcanic origin, which was formed starting 370,000 years ago following the collapse of a caldera of the Vulsini volcanic complex into a deep aquifer. Roman historic records indicate activity of the Vulsini volcano occurred as recently as 104 BC,...
. The cardinal provided the material means and Rosa made the families aware, trained the teachers, and organized the schools. When she had to return to Viterbo to attend to her first school, Rosa entrusted the schools and the teachers to the direction of a young woman, Lucia Filippini, in whom she had seen particular gifts of mind, heart and spirit.
After the openings in Viterbo
Viterbo
See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...
and Montefiascone
Montefiascone
Montefiascone is a town and comune of the province of Viterbo, Italy, located on a hill on the southeast side of Lake Bolsena, 95 km north of GRA .-History:...
, other schools were started in Lazio. Rosa reached Rome in 1706, but the first experience in Rome was a failure, which caused her to wait six long years before regaining the trust of the authorities. On December 8, 1713, with the help of Abate Degli Atti, a friend of the Venerini family, Rosa was able to open one of her schools in the center of Rome at the foot of the Campidoglio.
On October 24, 1716, they received a visit from Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
, accompanied by eight cardinals, who wanted to attend the lessons. At the end of the morning he addressed these words to Rosa: “Signora Rosa, you are doing that which we cannot do. We thank you very much because with these schools you will sanctify Rome ”.
From that moment on, governors and cardinals asked for schools for their areas. The duties of the foundress became intense, consisting of travels and hard work interwoven with joys and sacrifices for the formation of new communities. Wherever a new school sprang up, in a short time a moral improvement could be noted in the youth.
Rosa Venerini died a saintly death in the community of St. Mark's
St. Mark's
- Europe :* St. Mark's Church, Belgrade, Serbia* St. Mark's Church, Zagreb, CroatiaItaly* St Mark's Basilica, Venice* St Mark's Campanile, Venice- North America :United States* St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church...
in Rome on the evening of May 7, 1728. She had opened more than forty schools. Her remains were entombed in the nearby Church of the Gesù, so loved by her. In 1952, on the occasion of her beatification
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
, they were transferred to the chapel of the generalate in Rome.
After her first contacts with the Dominican Fathers at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Oak Tree, near Viterbo, she followed the austere spirituality of Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish knight from a Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus and was its first Superior General. Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation...
under the direction of the Jesuits, especially Father Ignatius Martinelli.
After having made its contribution to the Italian immigrants to the USA from 1909 and in Switzerland from 1971 to 1985, the Congregation extended its apostolic activity to other lands: India, Brazil, Cameroon, Romania, Albania, Chile, Venezuela and Nigeria.
Venerini Sisters' Beliefs
The Venerini Sisters believe that as women of Prayer, we are called to share the Gospel message of love, peace, and justice through the charisma of Saint Rosa Venerini. This ideal is shared by community members and by persons who through the Associate Membership are deeply concerned with the values and goals of Christian living. Inspired by the charisma of Saint Rosa Venerini an associate lives the Gospel message through service to the People of God. United in Spirit and prayer with the Sisters, and associate aims to deepen a personal relationship with God. Sharing the vision of the Venerini Sisters an associate broadens the mission of the vowed members. This association is for interested persons, 18 years of age and older, who wish to give expression to their relationship with the religious community of the Venerini Sisters. The primary bond is one of mutual support through prayer and shared ministries. The Associates make yearly promises and live in their own homes.Venerini Sisters Common Bond Statement
The call of the Venerini Sisters is to be a community of women of prayer, living the Gospel through service and availability to the people of God.Vowed Membership
In imitation of Christ, the Sisters are called to holiness based on the Gospel values of poverty, chastity and obedience.The Venerini Sisters Live Community
This affords the Sisters the opportunity for spiritual growth along with apostolic discernment which helps them realize their individual call to the ministryThe Venerini Sisters Live Mission
They answer the call to serve the people of God and the Church. The Sisters engage in various ministries that recognize Christ in each person treating all with respect, love and caring.The Venerini Sisters Live A Life of Service
They render apostolic service through teaching, catechesis, pastoral ministry, health care, social services,youth ministry and foreign missions. They minister in Italy, Albania, Romania, the United States, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela and Africa guided by the Charism of their foundress, "Educate to Set Free".Saint Rose Venerini (born 1656 in Viterbo
Viterbo
See also Viterbo, Texas and Viterbo UniversityViterbo is an ancient city and comune in the Lazio region of central Italy, the capital of the province of Viterbo. It is approximately 80 driving / 80 walking kilometers north of GRA on the Via Cassia, and it is surrounded by the Monti Cimini and...
; died at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1728) was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
nun who set up the first school for girls in Italy.
She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
on October 15, 2006.
External links
- Catholic News Agency
- Vatican bio
- Venerini Sisters' homepage
- Rose Venerini at Patron Saints Index