The Canossians are a family of two
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
religious institutes and three affiliated lay associations that trace their origin to
Magdalen of Canossa
Magdalena di Canossa (1 March 1774 – 10 April 1835) was an Italian professed religious and foundress of the two Canossian congregations. Magdalena was a leading advocate for the poor in her region after she witnessed first hand the plight of ...
, a religious sister
canonized
Canonization is the declaration of a deceased person as an officially recognized saint, specifically, the official act of a Christian communion declaring a person worthy of public veneration and entering their name in the canon catalogue of s ...
by
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
in 1988.
Canossian family
Canossian Daughters of Charity, Servants of the Poor (FDCC)
The Canossian Daughters of Charity (''Canossian Sisters''), is a Catholic
religious institute founded by Magdalen of Canossa in Verona, Italy, in 1808. On February 27, 1860, six Canossian Sisters from Venice and Padua began their journey to Hong Kong arriving there on April 12, 1860. From there the sisters went to
Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a p ...
and then to Southeast Asia.
Today they count eighteen provinces with approximately 2,700 Sisters in more than 336 communities and in 32 countries around the world. Their primary works of charity include education, catechesis, and care of the sick. The General House is in Rome.
(FDCC is the Italian abbreviation of "Figlie Della Carità Canossiane").
ENCA or Enlace Canossiano America (Canossian Network in America) is the union of the three Canossian Provinces in America: Brazil, Argentina and North America. It includes all the Canossian Sisters residing in America.
Since 1988 the sisters help with pastoral work, teaching and hospital visitation the Chinese Community and the new Chinese immigrants at St. Francis Xavier Church in Richmond in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia.
In the United States the Canossian Daughters of Charity run a retreat center, the Canossian Spirituality Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Sisters in Macau spread out to other countries in Southeast Asia towards the end of the 19th century.
In 1894 mainly Italian and Portuguese-speaking Sisters arrived at the Portuguese Mission at
St. Joseph's Church in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
(then part of the
Straits Settlements) and expanded to
Malaya, both of which were part of the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
. As of 2008 the Sisters are the largest religious orders in the
Archdiocese of Singapore
The Archdiocese of Singapore (Latin: ''Archidioecesis Singaporensis'') is an exempt archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church. Its territory includes all that is under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Singapore.
Its current a ...
and operate three mainstream schools - St Anthony's Canossian Primary & Secondary School & Canossa Catholic Primary School; two pre-schools/kindergartens, one special school for the deaf and two homes for the Aged Sick providing palliative care. In addition, the Sisters offer retreats and spiritual direction. In the Philippines, Mother Anna Bautista led a group of sisters and founded the first mission and school in the country in 1954.
Canossian Sons of Charity (FdCC)
The Canossian Sons of Charity, (''Canossian Fathers''), were founded in Venice in 1831. They count today about 200 brothers and priests dedicated to the education of children and young people through cathechesis in schools, orphanages, youth centers (oratories) and other works of charity towards the poor and the least. They are present in Italy, Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania, India and the Philippines. (FdCC means "Figli della Carità Canossiani").
In 1986 upon the invitation of the late
Cardinal Jaime Sin, Archbishop of Manila, the Canossian Fathers in Italy sent two priests to start a mission and to open a seminary.
[
]
Affiliates
* ''Association of Lay Canossians (ALC)'' (''Canossian Tertiaries or Collaborators'') are married and unmarried lay men and women of diverse nationalities who feel called to live the charism and the spirituality of the Canossian Family in their personal, family and social life. They received their ''"Plan for the Tertiaries"'' in 1835 and today serve in Asia, Europe, Oceania, Africa and the Americas. They are counting about 2,150 members. ''(ALC stands for "Associazione Laici Canossiani").''
* ''International Canossian Voluntary Service (VOICA)'' (''Canossian Volunteers'') was legally established in 1996 to support and direct young people and adults from all parts of the world who are seeking to deepen the meaning and purpose of their lives by a personal experience of shared community life in a short or long term voluntary service of the poor. They are presently sharing in Canossian missionary projects in Togo, Congo, Uganda, Albania, Indonesia, Angola, Paraguay and Brasil. ''(VOICA is the abbreviation of "Volontariato Internazionale CAnossiano").''
* ''Canossian Foundation (ONLUS)'', established in 2004 in Rome, is a legal non-profit entity for human development, to promote, coordinate and sustain initiatives that favour the poorest and the most excluded in the world and also to raise funds for the Canossian Missions in Brazil, the Philippines, India, and Africa. ''(ONLUS in Italian stands for "Organizzazione Non Lucrativa di Utilità Sociale").''
*''Canossian Alumni Association'', a membership society registered in Singapore for former students of the various Canossian schools in Singapore.
Schools
Hong Kong
*Holy Family Canossian College
The Canossians are a family of two Catholic religious institutes and three affiliated lay associations that trace their origin to Magdalen of Canossa, a religious sister canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.
Canossian family Canossian Daughte ...
*Holy Family Canossian School
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ...
*Holy Family Canossian School (Kowloon Tong)
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ...
*Sacred Heart Canossian College
Sacred Heart Canossian College ( Chinese: 嘉諾撒聖心書院; abbr: 'SHCC') is a Catholic, all-girls' school established at Robinson and Caine Roads, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong. Founded in 1860, the school currently serves under 2,000 students ...
*Sacred Heart Canossian School
Sacred Heart Canossian School (; abbr: "SHCS"; not to be confused with Sacred Heart Canossian School Private Section) is a Catholic girls' school established at Caine Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong. SHCS is partially funded by the Government as a ...
*St. Mary's Canossian College
St. Mary's Canossian College () is a Catholic girls secondary school in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The school was founded in 1900, and is situated at the junction of Austin Road and Chatham Road South.
The school, known as St Mary's ...
* St. Francis' Canossian College
* St. Francis' Canossian School
*Pui Tak Canossian College
Pui ( hu, Puj, german: Hühnendorf) is a commune in Hunedoara County, Transylvania, Romania. It is composed of twelve villages: Băiești (''Bajesd''), Federi (''Fégyér''), Fizești (''Füzesd''), Galați (''Galac''), Hobița (''Hobica''), Oha ...
*Canossa Primary School
*Canossa College
Canossa College () is a Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest interna ...
(formerly Canossian Convent Secondary School)
*Canossa School
*Holy Angels Canossian School
Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ...
Australia
*Canossa School
Canossa ( Reggiano: ) is a ''comune'' and castle town in the Province of Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is where Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV did penance in 1077 and stood three days bare-headed in the snow to reverse his exco ...
in Ingham, Queensland
Ingham is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Hinchinbrook, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Ingham had a population of 4,426 people. It is named after William Bairstow Ingham and is the administrative centre for the Shire o ...
India
* St. Joseph's College for Women in Alappuzha
* St. Philomena's Girls High School] in Poonthura
Poonthura is a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala, India. It is on the landing path of flights to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and is about 8 kilometers from the capital city. It has traditionally been famous for fi ...
* Elementary School "English Together"] in Bareilly
Bareilly () is a city in Bareilly district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is among the largest metropolises in Western Uttar Pradesh and is the centre of the Bareilly division as well as the historical region of Rohilkhand. The c ...
* Canossa Convent High School in Dhule
Dhule is a city located in the Dhule District in the northwestern part of Maharashtra state, India known as West Khandesh. Situated on the banks of Panzara River, Dhule is the regional headquarters of MIDC, RTO, and MTDC.
The city is mainly kn ...
* Canossa Convent School in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh
* Canossa Convent High School in Mahim
* Canossa Convent High School in Andheri
Andheri ( n̪d̪ʱeɾiː is a locality in the western part of the city of Mumbai in India. Udayanagari, the name of a hill near the Mahakali caves, inspired the name Andheri. On the former islet of Versova, also known as Vasave, there was ano ...
* Canossa School in Lucknow
* St. Josephs school Belgaum
* Canossa, Vasai
Macau
*Sacred Heart Canossian College
Malaysia
*Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Canossa Convent, Malacca
*Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Canossian Convent, Segamat
Segamat ( Jawi: سڬامت Chinese: 昔加末) is a town located in the Segamat District, Johor, Malaysia. It is 95 km travel distance via North–South Expressway from Johor Bahru to Yong Peng, and another 77 km from Federal Route 1.
Strat ...
*Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Canossian Convent, Kluang
Kluang ( Jawi: كلواڠ), formerly Keluang, is a town in Kluang District, Johor, Malaysia. Kluang was founded in 1915 as the administrative capital of central Johor by the British. It is located in the centre of the state and is within 90 min ...
*Sekolah Kebangsaan Canossian Convent, Kluang
Kluang ( Jawi: كلواڠ), formerly Keluang, is a town in Kluang District, Johor, Malaysia. Kluang was founded in 1915 as the administrative capital of central Johor by the British. It is located in the centre of the state and is within 90 min ...
*Sekolah Kebangsaan Canossian Convent, Segamat
Segamat ( Jawi: سڬامت Chinese: 昔加末) is a town located in the Segamat District, Johor, Malaysia. It is 95 km travel distance via North–South Expressway from Johor Bahru to Yong Peng, and another 77 km from Federal Route 1.
Strat ...
*Sekolah Kebangsaan Sacred Heart Convent, Malacca
Singapore
* Canossa Catholic Primary School
* Saint Anthony's Canossian Primary School], Bedok
Bedok () is a planning area and matured residential town located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah along the south-eastern coast of the East Region of Singapore. Bedok is bounded by five other planning areas: Paya Lebar to the north ...
*Saint Anthony's Canossian Secondary School
St. Anthony's Canossian Secondary School (SACSS) is a government-aided autonomous Catholic girls' secondary school located in Bedok, Singapore. It is part of the Canossian family of Catholic girls' schools in Singapore.
The school is well regarded ...
*Canossian School (for the deaf)
*Canossaville Pre-school
*Canossian Kindergarten
Philippines
* Canossa School in Santa Rosa, Laguna
Santa Rosa, officially the City of Santa Rosa ( fil, Lungsod ng Santa Rosa), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Laguna (province), Laguna, Philippines. ...
* Canossa College in San Pablo, Laguna
San Pablo, officially the City of San Pablo ( fil, Lungsod ng San Pablo), is a 1st class component city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 285,348 people.
It is located in the southern ...
* Canossa Academy in Lipa, Batangas
Lipa (), officially the City of Lipa ( fil, Lungsod ng Lipa), is a 1st class component city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 372,931 people.
It is the first city charter in the pr ...
* Canossa Academy in Calamba, Laguna
Hospitals
*Canossa Hospital (Caritas)
Canossa Hospital (Caritas) () is a private Catholic Community hospital in Hong Kong.
Overview and history
Canossa Hospital was founded by the Canossian Daughters of Charity in 1929. The original building with 16 beds was destroyed during Worl ...
*Dispensary Saint Josephine Bakhita in Agoe, Togo
Togo (), officially the Togolese Republic (french: République togolaise), is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, where its c ...
*Canossa Health and Social Center Bulihan, Silang, Cavite
Silang, officially the Municipality of Silang ( tgl, Bayan ng Silang), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cavite, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 295,644 people.
Silang is located in the eastern ...
, Philippines
*Canossa Private Hospital, Oxley, Brisbane
Oxley is a south-western suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In the , Oxley had a population of 8,336 people.
Oxley is located approximately from the Brisbane CBD, but it is from the Brisbane GPO by road. The suburb conta ...
, Australia
Saints
The foundress of the Canossians, Magdalen of Canossa
Magdalena di Canossa (1 March 1774 – 10 April 1835) was an Italian professed religious and foundress of the two Canossian congregations. Magdalena was a leading advocate for the poor in her region after she witnessed first hand the plight of ...
(1774-1835), was canonized a saint on 2 October 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
. Mother Josephine Bakhita
Josephine Margaret Bakhita, (ca. 1869 – 8 February 1947), was a Sudanese-Italian Canossian religious sister who lived in Italy for 45 years, after having been a slave in Sudan. In 2000, she was declared a saint, the first Black woman ...
of Sudan (1869-1947) was also named a Canossian saint on 1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II.
Members proposed for sainthood
Canossian Daughters and Sons of Charity who are proposed for canonization by the Church include:
* Servant of God Dalisay Lazaga Lazaga's cause was opened on June 28, 2012 by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
In the Catholic Church, the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, previously named the Congregation for the Causes of Saints (), is the dicastery of the Roman Curia that oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, pass ...
.
* Venerable
The Venerable (''venerabilis'' in Latin) is a style, a title, or an epithet which is used in some Western Christian churches, or it is a translation of similar terms for clerics in Eastern Orthodoxy and monastics in Buddhism.
Christianity
Cat ...
Fernanda Riva
Fernanda Riva (1920–1956), was a Roman Catholic Nun of Canossian Daughter of Charity congregation.
Early life
Fernanda Riva was born on 17 April 1920 in Monza, Italy. She joined the Canossian Missionary Novitiate in Vimercate, Milan, on 19 ...
: Riva was born on May 1, 1920 in Monza, Italy, She became a Canossian Daughters of Charity and went to India. She died on January 22, 1956 in Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
(a.k.a. Bombay), Maharashtra, India. She was venerated on June 28, 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...
for the decree of heroic virtue
Heroic virtue is a phrase coined by Augustine of Hippo to describe the virtue of early Christian martyrs and used by the Catholic Church. The Greek pagan term hero described a person with possibly superhuman abilities and great goodness, and "it ...
.
* Servant of God Teresa Pera: Teresa Pera was born on February 16, 1870 in Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The ...
, Italy, became a professed religious of the Canossian Daughters of Charity. She died on June 26, 1938 in Besozzo, Varese
Besozzo is a town and municipality located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. Besozzo hosts a small historical centre with churches and noble houses, so-called Palazzi, in its upper part which is in part pedestrian ...
, Italy. Her cause was opened for the decree for heroic virtue.
* Servant of God Luigia Grassi
Members
* Esmeralda Rego de Jesus Araujo
References
External links
Magdalena of Canossa
Canossian Daughters of Charity (Rome)
Canossian Daughters of Charity (Singapore and Myanmar)
Canossian Spirituality Center in Albuquerque, NM
Canossian Sons of Charity (Philippines)
Canossian Daughters of Charity website
Canossian Sons of Charity website
Association of Lay Canossians
{{Catholic congregation
Catholic religious institutes established in the 19th century
1828 establishments in the Papal States