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Also known as: Katarina
Cittadini
Memorial: 5 May
Profile
Daughter of Giovanni Battista and Magherita Lanzani. Her mother died when
Caterina was seven, and her father abandoned her and her younger sister
Giuditta. Accepted at the orphanage of the Conventino of Bergamo. There
she developed a strong faith, a big sister's sense of responsibility, and
a devotion to Our Lady and Saint Jerome Emiliani.
The sisters left the orphanage in 1823 to live with their cousins Giovanni
and Antonio Cittadini, both parish priests at Calolzio, Italy. Teacher at
a girl's public school in Somasca in 1824. The sisters felt a call to the
religious life; their spiritual director told them that they should stay
in Somasca, and become the basis of a new congregation.
In 1826 they moved to Somasca, rented a house, bought and furnished a
building, and in October opened a boarding school for girls. Caterina
taught religion, managed the school, and instituted the oratory style of
education for her girls. Word of her success spread, attracting more
students. The sisters established another "Cittadini" private school in
1832, and another in 1836.
Giuditta directed these new school until her sudden death in 1840.
Caterini's cousin, Father Antonio Cittadini, died in 1841, followed
quickly by her spiritual director from the orphanage. The rapid succession
of tragedy ruined Caterina's health, and she fell gravely ill; cured
through the intercession of Saint Jerome Emilani.
Caterina quit her public teaching position in 1845 to manage the schools,
care for the orphans, and guide the three companions who help her. To help
organize the work and lives of her companions, she wrote the beginnings of
a new rule similar to that of religious orders. In 1850 she obtained
permission to build a private oratory to keep the Blessed Sacrament at her
boarding school. In 1851 she applied for approval of her new religious
family.
In 1854 her bishop encouraged her work, and told her to write the rules of
the new order; her first attempt, based on the Constitution of the
Ursulines of Milano was rejected. A second attempt was accepted on 17
September 1854 under the title Orsoline Gerolimiane (Ursuline Sisters of
Somasca). On 14 December 1857, six months after her death, the bishop of
Bergamo gave his approval; the order achieved papal recognition on 8 July
1927. The order's mandate is to teach, and to care for the abandoned;
today they work in Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Brazil, Bolivia, India,
and the Philippines.
Born
28 September 1801 at Bergamo, Italy
Died
5 May 1857 of natural causes
Venerated
17 December 1996 by Pope John Paul II
Beatified
29 April 2001 by Pope John Paul II at Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City
Canonized
pending
Readings
Left an orphan at a very tender age, she became an affectionate mother to
orphans. She wanted her spiritual daughters to be 'mothers' in schools and
in contacts with children. The secret was union with the Eucharist.
-Pope John Paul II
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