(Vatican) Born in Genoa Italy, Benedetta’s family were devoted Christian’s raising their children in a life of faith. At the age of twenty, Benedetta felt called by God to lead a life of prayer and penance, however in obedience to her parents she would wed Giovanni, the two however would agree to live lives chastely like brother and sister, consecrating their lives to God and taking care of Benedetta younger sister Maria, who was dying of intestinal cancer.
Following Maria’s death, Giovanni would enter the ‘Somaschi Fathers’ and Benedetta devoted herself completely to God, dedicating herself to high quality education of poor and abandoned young girls.
Bishop Tosi of Pavia would ask Giovanni to leave the ‘Somaschi Fathers’ and help Benedetta, together they made a vow to live in perfect chastity as they would continue in Benedetta’s work to promote the education and Christian formation of young marginalized girls, they were later helped by young woman volunteers which would help teach useful skills to their students and transform their students into models of Christian life.
Sister Benedetta would later in life establish the ‘Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters’ stressing the importance of education of young girls, the new Congregation would grow quickly which Sister Benedetta would guide its development until her death.
Today Sister Benedetta’s Congregation of Benedictine Nuns continue in service in Italy, Spain, Peru and Brazil, caring for young people, together with the poor, sick and elderly.
Sister Benedetta was Canonized in 2002 by Pope John Paul II
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