Lancaster Cathedral

Angela was born in the small town of Dezensano, Italy. The exact year of her birth is not known. Her early experience of bereavement included the loss of a beloved sister who died before she could receive the last sacraments. Reassured through prayer that her sister’s soul had been saved, Angela resolved to dedicate her life to Jesus. At the age of 22, having noticed that the local children were ignorant about their faith, she invited some friends to start a little school in order to teach them. At a time when there were no religious teaching orders, Angela and her friends became the first women working for this purpose. While travelling in the Holy Land in 1534 Angela suddenly lost her sight, but despite this continued her journey. While she was praying before a crucifix her sight was miraculously restored. The following year, a Jubilee year, she went to Rome and Pope Clement VII, invited her to stay in the city. But Angela returned home and, in November 1535, she formulated a brief Rule and founded her Company of Saint Ursula in Brescia: she and 28 other young women offered their lives to God, under the protection of St Ursula. But because they had taken no vows and wore lay clothes, formal organisation into a Congregation had to wait until 1565 as, in Angela’s day, Church authorities would not approve unenclosed religious sisters. Angela died on January 27th 1540, during the early stages of the life of her Congregation. The Ursuline Sisters rapidly spread throughout the world and their work, educating children and young people, continues today. Angela Merici was canonized by Pope Pius VI in 1807.

Patronage: Illness, handicapped people, loss of parents.

For the parish blog:

Click here