From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   June 11th - Paula Frassinetti, Virgin, Foundress   
   (1809-1882)   
      
   Paula Frassinetti becomes a child of God on the same day she is born. She   
   receives baptism in the Parish of Santo Stefano in Genoa, her native town.   
      
   The third child after Giuseppe and Francesco, Paula grows in the peaceful   
   atmosphere of her home which is later blessed by the birth of two other   
   boys: Giovanni and Raffaele. Her mother is a model of virtue for her, and   
   little Paula delicately opens herself to divine grace which works marvels in   
   her according to God's plan. Angela, her good mother, does not live to see   
   the realization of God's plan on her daughter. She dies leaving Paula, who   
   is only nine years old, to take care of the house. Days of bewilderment and   
   sorrow follow, during which she does not spare herself as she gives her   
   father, Giovanni Battista, and her brothers, loving, delicate attention   
   which demand of her many sacrifices.   
      
   Her first Holy Communion and her brother Giuseppe's ordination are moments   
   of deep reflection for her who already feels, in the depth of her heart, the   
   divine call. Within the family circle she learns to read and write, and she   
   also receives her basic formation. Her brother Giuseppe, who is advanced in   
   his theological studies, speaks to her about the things of God, and Paula   
   listens and accepts his teaching. She hears the call to follow God more   
   closely, and the Master's words: " Whoever loves father or mother more than   
   me is not worthy of me", find a deep echo within her. But her father is not   
   very enthusiastic: How can he live without his Paula? And Paula tries to   
   silence her desire as she awaits God's time, and the occasion presents   
   itself.   
      
   At the age of 19 she is physically tired owing to the strenuous rhythm which   
   her life as a precocious mother imposes on her, and her brother, Father   
   Giuseppe, who is parish priest at Quinto, a small seaside village, offers   
   her hospitality for some time. The pure air of Quinto proves beneficial to   
   her delicate health. Parish life affords her the opportunity of doing good,   
   as little by little, her gentle ways attract the youth of the neighbourhood.   
   Every Sunday they go to the woods to speak about God. These encounters occur   
   often and soon other young girls join the group. Paula reveals to them the   
   secrets of a life totally dedicated to God, and she discovers her vocation   
   as an educator. An enthusiastic group which lives in communion of love,   
   forms itself around Paula. In her mind the idea of a new institute becomes   
   clear and she confides it to her brother, Father Giuseppe.   
      
   Notwithstanding obstacles and sufferings, her ideal soon becomes a reality,   
   and six of her companions overcome the first difficult moments. Paula is   
   determined and she initiates her work marked by that cross which she will   
   love throughout her whole life, and which will cause her to exclaim: "Those   
   who suffer most, love most". Thus on August 12, 1834, in the sanctuary of   
   San Martino in Albaro, seven young girls dedicate their lives to God. Father   
   Giuseppe, who had prepared them for this important step, celebrates Mass for   
   them. They are happy, as within a few hours they will have laid the   
   foundation stone of the Institute and start to live in community placing   
   their trust in God alone. In fact they possess nothing; at Quinto, in the   
   small house they have chosen as their first dwelling, there is poverty. They   
   open a school for very poor children and they are obliged to work even at   
   night in order to survive. Enthusiasm is not lacking and this causes the   
   school to flourish. But God's ways are not our ways: for Paula, sufferings   
   are an evidence of God's will. Cholera breaks out and rapidly spreads in   
   Genoa and Paula's daughters are there to bring help and comfort.   
      
   In 1835 a priest from Bergamo-Father Luca Passi, a friend of Father   
   Giuseppe- having known Paula's apostolic zeal asks her to assume the Pious   
   Work of Saint Dorothy, which he had founded with the aim of reaching the   
   poorest and most needy youth in their work and life environment. In this   
   work Paula finds her educational trend, and the apostolic dimension of her   
   consecration, and she does not hesitate to assume it. Her sisters will no   
   more be called Daughters of the Faith, but Sisters of Saint Dorothy. It is   
   an important moment in the life of that first group who sees the initial   
   inspiration become more concrete: "To be fully available in the hands of God   
   to evangelize through education, with a preference for youth and the poorest   
   ". Others houses are opened in Genoa, then attention is turned to the centre   
   of Christianity, and just seven years after the foundation, on May 19, 1841,   
   Paula arrives in Rome accompanied by two novices. Even here she encounters   
   many difficulties. The first house comprises two rooms above a stable at the   
   Vicolo of St. Apostoli, but she accepts everything and a great reward awaits   
   her: she is received in audience by Pope Gregory XVI who is pleased with the   
   work of the Sisters of Saint Dorothy. The Lord has spoken to her, and she is   
   happy. Hardships and sufferings increase: poverty and sickness afflict the   
   brave sisters who do not have enough money to buy medicine.   
      
   In 1844 the Pope entrusts Paula with the direction of the Conservatory of   
   St. Maria del Rifugio at St. Onofrio. By her gentleness and charity Paula   
   transforms the place, and because of her presence and activity St. Onofrio   
   becomes the Mother House. In 1846 an anticlerical spirit spreads throughout   
   Italy. In Genoa even the Dorotheans are molested and the daughters of Paula   
   are exposed to suffering.   
      
   Persecution reaches Rome: Pius IX, who has succeeded Gregory XVI, is obliged   
   to take refuge at Gaeta, and Cardinals, Bishops and Prelates all leave Rome.   
   Paula remains alone at the head of a numerous community and with courageous   
   faith she overcomes those dramatic moments. The storm calms down. It is 1850   
   and Paula obtains the desired audience with Pius IX who is like a father to   
   her. Moved by a great love for the Pope and for the church, she goes to   
   Gaeta, thus repeating the gesture of Saint Catherine of Siena.   
      
   Paula begins the last thirty years of her life which can be defined as the   
   period of great expansion since the Institute, besides firmly consolidating   
   itself in Liguria and in the Pontifical State, also extends its work to   
   other parts of Italy and the world. In fact, various educational centres are   
   established in Rome, and Paula starts thinking of opening a house in Naples,   
   a boarding school in Bologna and an orphanage at Recanati.   
      
   In 1866 the first missionaries leave for Brazil and in the same year   
   Portugal is also reached. Paula sustains her daughters: " Be burning flames   
   that inflame with God's love all those you come in contact with". She lives   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)