From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   September 12 - Bl. Victoria Fornari-Strata, Widow   
   ( Foundress of The Blue Nuns Of Genoa)   
      
   Bl. Mary Victoria was born at Genoa in the year 1562. At the age of   
   seventeen there was some talk of her becoming a nun, but she deferred to the   
   wishes of her father and married Angelo Strata. They lived together very   
   happily for nine years, Angelo joining gladly in his wife's charitable   
   works, and defending her from the adverse criticism of those who wished to   
   see her take more part in social pleasures.   
      
   They had six children, four boys and two girls. When Angelo died in 1587   
   Victoria was for long inconsolable, both for her own sake and for the sake   
   of the children, whom she felt she was incapable of properly looking after   
   alone. A certain nobleman of the city wanted her to marry him and she   
   thought she perhaps ought to for her children's sake. But her uncertainty   
   was ended by a happening of which she wrote down an account by the direction   
   of her confessor.   
      
   Our Lady appeared in vision and said to her: "My child Victoria, be brave   
   and confident, for it is my wish to take both the mother and the children   
   under my protection; I will care for your household. Live quietly and   
   without worrying. All I ask is that you will trust yourself to me and   
   henceforth devote yourself to the love of God above all things."   
      
   Victoria now saw clearly what she must do and ceased to be disquieted. She   
   made a vow of chastity and lived in retirement, giving her whole time to   
   God, her children and the poor. She allowed no superfluity or luxury in her   
   home, and set herself a standard of severe mortification:  when, for   
   example, the Church directed a fast she would always observe it on bread and   
   water.   
      
   After her children were all provided for, Victoria put before the archbishop   
   of Genoa a project she had formed for a new order of nuns, who were to be   
   devoted in a special way to our Lady. For a time the archbishop withheld his   
   approval, for there was lack of sufficient funds to support such a   
   foundation. But when one of her friends offered to bear the expense of   
   providing a building, the archbishop's consent also was forthcoming.   
      
   In the year 1604 Bl. Victoria and ten others were clothed, and professed in   
   the following year. Their object was to honour in their lives and worship   
   our Lady in the mystery of her annunciation and hidden life at Nazareth;   
   each nun added Maria Annunziata to her baptismal name and the rule of   
   enclosure of their convent was particularly strict. By the enthusiasm and   
   zeal of Mother Victoria a second house was founded in 1612, and soon after   
   the order spread to France, but not till an attempt had been made behind the   
   back of the foundress to affiliate the nuns to another order, on the   
   pretense that they were not strong enough to exist on their own. Mother   
   Victoria learned what was happening and appealed for the help of our Lady,   
   who in a vision assured her of her unfailing assistance, and the danger was   
   overcome. Bl. Victoria continued to govern her foundation, encouraging her   
   sisters in their penitential life and setting them an example of complete   
   humility and love, till her death at the age of fifty-five. This took place   
   on December 15, 1617, but today is her feast in the order that she founded.   
   These nuns are distinguished from those of the Annunciation (Annon ciades)   
   founded by St Joan of Valois by the epithet "Sky-Blue", with reference to   
   the colour of their mantles.   
      
   On the occasion of the beatification of Mary Victoria in 1828, an Italian   
   life was printed with the title Vita della b. Maria Vittoria Fornari-Strata,   
   fondatrice dell' Ordine della Santissima Annunziata detto "Le Turchine", in   
   other words, called by Italians "the BlueNuns". This life is anonymous, but   
   official. See also a French account by Father F. Dumortier, La bse Marie-   
   Victoire Fornari-Strata (1902).   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   It is not possible ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well   
   that has no bottom.   
    -St. John Chrysostom   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing   
   this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have   
   her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.   
   (James 1:2-4)   
      
   Reflection   
   Cease from overweening desire of knowledge; because many distractions are   
   found there, and much delusion.   
      
      
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   The easy roads are crowded   
      
   The easy roads are crowded,   
   And the level roads are jammed;   
   The pleasant little rivers   
   With the drifting folks are crammed,   
   But off yonder where it's rocky,   
   Where you get a better view,   
   You will find the ranks are thinning   
   And the travelers are few.   
   Where the going's smooth and pleasant   
   You will always find the throng,   
   For the many, more's the pity,   
   Seem to like to drift along.   
   But the steps that call for courage   
   And the task that's hard to do,   
   In the end results in glory   
   For the never-wavering few.   
      
   ~Messick   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)