Religious figure. Founder. She founded the first "secular institute" and the first teaching order of women in the Catholic Church.
Born in Desenzano, Italy, a small town on the shore of Lake Garda, Angela and her older sister, Giana Maria, were orphaned when she was ten years old. They went to live with a wealthy uncle in the town of Salo, where she had no formal schooling. She was very distressed when her sister suddenly died and joined the Third Order of St. Francis around that time.
Her uncle died when she was twenty years old. She returned to her home in Desenzano and lived with her brothers on her own property, given to her instead of the dowry that would have been hers had she married. She later had a vision that she was to found a "company" of young women who were to devote their lives to the religious training of young girls. This association was a success, and she was invited to start another school in the neighboring city of Brescia.
In 1516, she was invited to become a live-in companion for a widow in Brescia. Here she became a friend of wealthy nobles and a servant of the poor. She became the spiritual advisor to a group of men and women and served those in need. Her reputation spread, and her advice was sought by both young and old, rich and poor, religious and secular, male and female.
While on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1524, she suddenly became blind on the island of Crete. Despite this, she proceeded to visit the sacred shrines, seeing them with her spirit. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix at the same place where she had been struck with blindness a few weeks earlier, her sight was restored.
On November 25, 1535, she gathered 12 young women who had joined in her work in a small house in Brescia near the Church of St. Afra, These women, many of them daughters of the wealthy, some orphans themselves, formed the nucleus of the "Company of St. Ursula," named for the patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women. Her goal was to elevate family life through the Christian education of future wives and mothers. They were the first teaching order of women religious. This constituted a new way of life: single women consecrated to Christ and living in the world rather than in a monastery. Company members did not live in community, wore no special clothing, and made no formal vows. Four years later, the group had grown to 28. She wrote a Rule of Life for the group, which specified the practice of celibacy, poverty, and obedience in their own homes. The Ursulines opened orphanages and schools. On March 18, 1537, she was elected "Mother and Mistress" of the group.
She died in Brescia, Italy, on January 27, 1540. At the time of her death, there were 24 communities of the Company of St. Ursula in the region. Clothed in the habit of a Franciscan tertiary, her body was interred in Brescia's Church of Saint Afra. Four years later, the Company's Rule that she had composed was approved by Pope Paul III.
In 1580, Charles Borromeo, Bishop of Milan, (later canonized), inspired by the work of the Ursulines in Brescia, encouraged the foundation of Ursuline houses in all the dioceses of Northern Italy. He also encouraged the Ursulines to live together in community rather than in their own homes. These actions formalized the original company into a religious order of women.
In the early 1600s, Companies that had expanded into France were reorganized into the religious Order of St. Ursula. Today there are Ursuline Sisters in 30 countries, especially in North America.
Angela Merici was beatified in Rome on April 30, 1768, by Pope Clement XIII. She was canonized on May 24, 1807, by Pope Pius VII. Her feast day is celebrated on January 27.
Born in Desenzano, Italy, a small town on the shore of Lake Garda, Angela and her older sister, Giana Maria, were orphaned when she was ten years old. They went to live with a wealthy uncle in the town of Salo, where she had no formal schooling. She was very distressed when her sister suddenly died and joined the Third Order of St. Francis around that time.
Her uncle died when she was twenty years old. She returned to her home in Desenzano and lived with her brothers on her own property, given to her instead of the dowry that would have been hers had she married. She later had a vision that she was to found a "company" of young women who were to devote their lives to the religious training of young girls. This association was a success, and she was invited to start another school in the neighboring city of Brescia.
In 1516, she was invited to become a live-in companion for a widow in Brescia. Here she became a friend of wealthy nobles and a servant of the poor. She became the spiritual advisor to a group of men and women and served those in need. Her reputation spread, and her advice was sought by both young and old, rich and poor, religious and secular, male and female.
While on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1524, she suddenly became blind on the island of Crete. Despite this, she proceeded to visit the sacred shrines, seeing them with her spirit. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix at the same place where she had been struck with blindness a few weeks earlier, her sight was restored.
On November 25, 1535, she gathered 12 young women who had joined in her work in a small house in Brescia near the Church of St. Afra, These women, many of them daughters of the wealthy, some orphans themselves, formed the nucleus of the "Company of St. Ursula," named for the patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women. Her goal was to elevate family life through the Christian education of future wives and mothers. They were the first teaching order of women religious. This constituted a new way of life: single women consecrated to Christ and living in the world rather than in a monastery. Company members did not live in community, wore no special clothing, and made no formal vows. Four years later, the group had grown to 28. She wrote a Rule of Life for the group, which specified the practice of celibacy, poverty, and obedience in their own homes. The Ursulines opened orphanages and schools. On March 18, 1537, she was elected "Mother and Mistress" of the group.
She died in Brescia, Italy, on January 27, 1540. At the time of her death, there were 24 communities of the Company of St. Ursula in the region. Clothed in the habit of a Franciscan tertiary, her body was interred in Brescia's Church of Saint Afra. Four years later, the Company's Rule that she had composed was approved by Pope Paul III.
In 1580, Charles Borromeo, Bishop of Milan, (later canonized), inspired by the work of the Ursulines in Brescia, encouraged the foundation of Ursuline houses in all the dioceses of Northern Italy. He also encouraged the Ursulines to live together in community rather than in their own homes. These actions formalized the original company into a religious order of women.
In the early 1600s, Companies that had expanded into France were reorganized into the religious Order of St. Ursula. Today there are Ursuline Sisters in 30 countries, especially in North America.
Angela Merici was beatified in Rome on April 30, 1768, by Pope Clement XIII. She was canonized on May 24, 1807, by Pope Pius VII. Her feast day is celebrated on January 27.
Religious figure. Founder. She founded the first "secular institute" and the first teaching order of women in the Catholic Church.
Born in Desenzano, Italy, a small town on the shore of Lake Garda, Angela and her older sister, Giana Maria, were orphaned when she was ten years old. They went to live with a wealthy uncle in the town of Salo, where she had no formal schooling. She was very distressed when her sister suddenly died and joined the Third Order of St. Francis around that time.
Her uncle died when she was twenty years old. She returned to her home in Desenzano and lived with her brothers on her own property, given to her instead of the dowry that would have been hers had she married. She later had a vision that she was to found a "company" of young women who were to devote their lives to the religious training of young girls. This association was a success, and she was invited to start another school in the neighboring city of Brescia.
In 1516, she was invited to become a live-in companion for a widow in Brescia. Here she became a friend of wealthy nobles and a servant of the poor. She became the spiritual advisor to a group of men and women and served those in need. Her reputation spread, and her advice was sought by both young and old, rich and poor, religious and secular, male and female.
While on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1524, she suddenly became blind on the island of Crete. Despite this, she proceeded to visit the sacred shrines, seeing them with her spirit. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix at the same place where she had been struck with blindness a few weeks earlier, her sight was restored.
On November 25, 1535, she gathered 12 young women who had joined in her work in a small house in Brescia near the Church of St. Afra, These women, many of them daughters of the wealthy, some orphans themselves, formed the nucleus of the "Company of St. Ursula," named for the patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women. Her goal was to elevate family life through the Christian education of future wives and mothers. They were the first teaching order of women religious. This constituted a new way of life: single women consecrated to Christ and living in the world rather than in a monastery. Company members did not live in community, wore no special clothing, and made no formal vows. Four years later, the group had grown to 28. She wrote a Rule of Life for the group, which specified the practice of celibacy, poverty, and obedience in their own homes. The Ursulines opened orphanages and schools. On March 18, 1537, she was elected "Mother and Mistress" of the group.
She died in Brescia, Italy, on January 27, 1540. At the time of her death, there were 24 communities of the Company of St. Ursula in the region. Clothed in the habit of a Franciscan tertiary, her body was interred in Brescia's Church of Saint Afra. Four years later, the Company's Rule that she had composed was approved by Pope Paul III.
In 1580, Charles Borromeo, Bishop of Milan, (later canonized), inspired by the work of the Ursulines in Brescia, encouraged the foundation of Ursuline houses in all the dioceses of Northern Italy. He also encouraged the Ursulines to live together in community rather than in their own homes. These actions formalized the original company into a religious order of women.
In the early 1600s, Companies that had expanded into France were reorganized into the religious Order of St. Ursula. Today there are Ursuline Sisters in 30 countries, especially in North America.
Angela Merici was beatified in Rome on April 30, 1768, by Pope Clement XIII. She was canonized on May 24, 1807, by Pope Pius VII. Her feast day is celebrated on January 27.
Born in Desenzano, Italy, a small town on the shore of Lake Garda, Angela and her older sister, Giana Maria, were orphaned when she was ten years old. They went to live with a wealthy uncle in the town of Salo, where she had no formal schooling. She was very distressed when her sister suddenly died and joined the Third Order of St. Francis around that time.
Her uncle died when she was twenty years old. She returned to her home in Desenzano and lived with her brothers on her own property, given to her instead of the dowry that would have been hers had she married. She later had a vision that she was to found a "company" of young women who were to devote their lives to the religious training of young girls. This association was a success, and she was invited to start another school in the neighboring city of Brescia.
In 1516, she was invited to become a live-in companion for a widow in Brescia. Here she became a friend of wealthy nobles and a servant of the poor. She became the spiritual advisor to a group of men and women and served those in need. Her reputation spread, and her advice was sought by both young and old, rich and poor, religious and secular, male and female.
While on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1524, she suddenly became blind on the island of Crete. Despite this, she proceeded to visit the sacred shrines, seeing them with her spirit. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix at the same place where she had been struck with blindness a few weeks earlier, her sight was restored.
On November 25, 1535, she gathered 12 young women who had joined in her work in a small house in Brescia near the Church of St. Afra, These women, many of them daughters of the wealthy, some orphans themselves, formed the nucleus of the "Company of St. Ursula," named for the patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women. Her goal was to elevate family life through the Christian education of future wives and mothers. They were the first teaching order of women religious. This constituted a new way of life: single women consecrated to Christ and living in the world rather than in a monastery. Company members did not live in community, wore no special clothing, and made no formal vows. Four years later, the group had grown to 28. She wrote a Rule of Life for the group, which specified the practice of celibacy, poverty, and obedience in their own homes. The Ursulines opened orphanages and schools. On March 18, 1537, she was elected "Mother and Mistress" of the group.
She died in Brescia, Italy, on January 27, 1540. At the time of her death, there were 24 communities of the Company of St. Ursula in the region. Clothed in the habit of a Franciscan tertiary, her body was interred in Brescia's Church of Saint Afra. Four years later, the Company's Rule that she had composed was approved by Pope Paul III.
In 1580, Charles Borromeo, Bishop of Milan, (later canonized), inspired by the work of the Ursulines in Brescia, encouraged the foundation of Ursuline houses in all the dioceses of Northern Italy. He also encouraged the Ursulines to live together in community rather than in their own homes. These actions formalized the original company into a religious order of women.
In the early 1600s, Companies that had expanded into France were reorganized into the religious Order of St. Ursula. Today there are Ursuline Sisters in 30 countries, especially in North America.
Angela Merici was beatified in Rome on April 30, 1768, by Pope Clement XIII. She was canonized on May 24, 1807, by Pope Pius VII. Her feast day is celebrated on January 27.
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