Saint of the Month - December 2020: Saint Paola Elisabetta Cerioli

St. Paola Elisabetta Cerioli

A Charitable Mother to Many

Feast: December 24th

Our December Saint is another female Founder and she hails from a large noble family of Soncino, Italy.   She was born on January 28, 1816 and, because of precarious health (she had a lifelong heart condition), was baptized just a few days later on February 2nd as Costanza Honorata Cerioli.  In her childhood, the future Saint was educated by Visitandine Nuns and was endowed with an innate sensitivity to the needs of the poor and infirm.

At the tender age of 19, Constanza's parents accepted on her behalf an offer of marriage from a Gaetano Busecchi, the wealthy widower of the late Countess Maria Teresa Tassis.  The suitor was 40 years their daughter's senior and, despite her initial resistance, Constanza relented to pressure and was married to Gaetano on April 30, 1835.  The reluctant new bride could only pray and trust that it was all part of God's master plan for her.

The marriage was awkward, at first, but Constanza learned to sincerely love her husband despite their vast age difference and his set ways.  She submitted herself completely to her marital duties and Gaetano, on his part, loved her back.  In fact, the couple had four children of which three died in infancy.  In January 1854, her last surviving son - Carlo - was also taken from her at the youthful age of 16.  A few days before his passing, the boy made a thoughtful attempt to comfort his grieving mother by stating to her: "Mamma, don't cry.  The Lord will give you other children."  It was a statement that later proved to be highly prophetic.

Less than a year after losing Carlo, Constanza's husband followed their son to the grave on December 25, 1854, leaving our Saint a widow at 38-years-old.  Grieving and lonely over her successive losses, she found solace in her Catholic Faith; having inherited Gaetano's palazzo and wealth and, inspired by the Gospel precepts, she resolved to use her resources for the good of others.

St. Paola Elisabetta desired her Sisters to

imitate the virtues of the Holy Family.

Contrary to the expectations of her family and friends, Constanza did not remarry.  Instead, she pronounced private vows of chastity and adopted two orphans before launching various charitable endeavors that included opening her home to the sick and the poor, and establishing a free girl's school in rural Comonte di Seriate in Bergamo.  Costanza was assisted in her mission by a small group of dedicated female collaborators and they were enthusiastically supported by their local Bishop.

Beginning in late 1857, the next seven years was a period of rapid development and expansion for the group's ministry...

  + December 8th, 1857 - the Feast of the Immaculate Conception:  Costanza and her companions established themselves as the "Institute of the Sisters of the Holy Family"

  + January 23, 1858:  Costanza takes the religious name of "Paola Elisabetta"

  + July 8, 1858:  Mother Paola Elisabetta and her companions were solemnly clothed in their new institute's habit

  + January 23, 1859:  The foundress and the first five Sisters of the Holy Family made their temporary religious profession

  + June 27, 1862:  The Institute of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Camonte received the formal decree of approval from Mons. Speranza, Bishop of Bergamo

  + November 4, 1863:  The male branch of the Holy Family was established in Cremona

Under the protective patronage of St. Joseph, head of the Holy Family, to whom Mother Paola Elisabetta was especially devoted, her work thrived and spread to other regions of Italy; more schools were opened, along with homes for charitable services and evangelization.  As her dear son, Carlo, had predicted, the once lonely widow had indeed become the mother of other children... lots of them!

On December 24, 1865, the foundress unexpectedly died at the age of 49 in Comonte.  Mother Paola Elisabetta's personal sanctity and legacy of selfless giving ensured she was not forgotten by the many people she impressed in her lifetime; the Diocese of Bergamo opened her Cause for Canonization in February 1902, which culminated in the Church declaring her a Saint on May 16, 2004.

Above:  The holy remains of St. Paola Elisabetta.

Below:  A relic of the Saint's clothing

in this ministry's care.

Today, the Saint's bodily relic is conserved and venerated in a church dedicated to her honor in Bergamo, Italy.

St. Paola Elisabetta Cerioli,

pray for us!