Paula Frassinetti is an Italian saint in the Roman Catholic Church and foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Dorothy (aka, Congregazione Suore di S. Dorotea della Frassinetti). Her feast day is June 11.

Life

Paula Frassinetti was born March 3, 1809, in Genoa, Italy to Giovanni Battista Frassinetti, a cloth merchant, and his wife Angela. The third of five children, her four brothers all became priests. When she was nine years old, her mother died and an aunt came to help with the household. Three years later her aunt died, and at the age of twelve, Frassinetti assumed the responsibility. At the age of nineteen, Frassinetti went to stay with her brother Giuseppe, a priest at the seaside village of Quinto in Liguria. In 1834 she and six other women formed a small community called the "Daughters of Holy Faith". Giuseppe and members of the parish started a small school in a church that had been dedicated to

Clare of Assisi Clare of Assisi (born Chiara Offreduccio and sometimes spelled Clara, Clair, Claire, Sinclair; 16 July 1194 – 11 August 1253) was an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Francis of Assisi. She founded the Order of Poor Ladie ...

. The sisters taught in the school. They went to Genoa to help during a breakout of

cholera Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...

. In 1835

Luca Passi Luca Passi (22 January 1789 – 18 April 1866) was an Italian priest and the founder of the Teaching Sisters of Saint Dorothy. Two brothers of his were priests – following the example of their paternal uncle – and Passi himself moved to Ve ...

, of Bergamo, a friend of her brother Giuseppe, asked Frassinetti if she would assume the Pious Work of Saint Dorothy, a project he had founded to serve the poorest and most needy youth. Thereafter the Daughters of Holy Faith became known as the Sisters of Saint Dorothy. On May 19, 1841, Frassinetti established a house in Rome. The work of the institute expanded beyond Liguria and Rome, to other parts of Italy as new houses, boarding schools, and orphanages were established.Joseph S.J., P.J. "St. Paula Frassinetti", Vatican Radio
/ref> Later the sisters established a presence in Malta, Portugal, and Brazil. In the United Kingdom the sisters run an International Student's Residence and are involved in Parish Ministry.
/ref> She died on June 11, 1882, after a bout with pneumonia following several strokes. Her body was reported to be found to be incorrupt in 1906.

Veneration

Frassinetti was beatified by

Pope Pius XI Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...

on June 8, 1930, and canonized on March 11, 1984, by Pope John Paul II.

Legacy

There are about 1,200 sisters active in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Quotes

* ''"Work in full simplicity"'' * ''"We're in God's hands, and we are so very well"'' * ''"Our mission is to educate thru heart and love''"Paula Frassinetti - Letters to the Congregations!, Paulinas Editions, 1997

References

External links