Born in 1816 to Italian nobility, Costanza Cerioli entered into an arranged marriage at the age of 19 with a man 40 years older than herself. She had three children who died, one as an infant, one at a year old, and the last at 16. Her husband died shortly later, leaving her wealthy but a widow with no family. Feeling a calling to religious life, Costanza founded a new religious order, the Institute of the Sisters of the Holy Family. She took vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, took the religious name Paola Elisabetta, and then spent her wealth and the rest of her life caring for orphans and neglected children.
CHALLENGE
St. Pope John Paul II said in her canonization homily: “Paola Elisabetta understood that families remain strong when the bonds among their members are sustained and kept together by sharing the values of faith and a Christian way of life.” Do you have any open wounds between you and any family members? Live your Christian faith: Mend the wounds. Forgive and ask forgiveness.
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