475th Anniversary
Sanctuary of Saint Angela Merici
Eucharistic Celebration – 28th November 2010
A few points from the homily by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re
During this mass which brings our meeting to an end, we clearly remember an important date, when 475 years ago, Saint Angela Merici founded the Company of Saint Ursula here in Brescia. She was accompanied by a group of good young women, who urged on by the example of Angela Merici, pledged to live a steadfast spiritual life based on the examples from the gospels but lived in the world with their families.
The original idea and, I must admit, a very modern and surprising one for its time, was a form of consecration to the Lord for women, who, while leading a normal everyday life, were also the salt, the light and the yeast of the society they formed part of.
During that time, women were only offered two lifestyles; they could either choose to get married or enter the convent, protected inside the walls of a cloister, wearing a habit and following the rules and programmes of the particular religious order they belonged to.
Angela Merici created a third pattern or lifestyle: that of a lay consecrated life to God outside the convent, leading a free autonomous life in her own house and carrying on with her work. She formed part of the family and society and wore no habit which made her different from the other women.
Showing great insight, Saint Angela chose a style of life which was full of spiritual values for women who chose to live a normal life in the world. She had understood that holiness was not a gift reserved only for those who lived in a convent, but for all the faithful, all the laity, all the chosen people of God.
It was Angela’s wish that Christian women could inspirit the human and social existence, helping it to be better in the eyes of the Lord without having conventional code or conduct of behaviour or wearing a habit. When we look at things in this way (and we must keep in mind that all this happened 475 years ago), Saint Angela must surely have been a very important figure, because through divine insight, she managed to understand the needs of the society she lived in. Her love of God made her see things differently and for this reason she loved all that existed during her time.
But there is more; centuries ago Angela foresaw religious and humane solutions, which were only approved for other institutes a century ago. In fact, it was only during the Pontificate of Pope Pius X11 that secular institutes were officially approved and before that we find only one historic precedent which was formed by Angela Merici’s intelligence and kindness.
When Pope Paul VI greeted the Company of Saint Angela on the 27th August 1966, he told them, “…you have a characteristic which the other secular institutes, approved by the church, cannot boast of having . . . you are the oldest secular institution of all and your constitutions were adopted by the church centuries later”. Angela is therefore the forerunner and pioneer of that spiritual movement which in the everyday running of the church is found in secular institutes.
Soon, the idea and teachings of Angela Merici spread to all parts of Italy and the world. There are many institutes in the world that are constituted on the Merician charism; some are secular, others religious, but they are all inspired by the same charism of Saint Angela and are doing a wealth of good in different places and on different matters.
Angela Merici’s genial insight achieved success because she was a good organizer and listener, gentle and courteous in giving advice, but the secret of her success lay in her infinite love of God and constant prayer. The word God to her was not an abstract idea. In God she found her fulfillment…
Even today Angela Merici has a lot to teach us.
It is of utmost importance that today we bring God back into the world and include Him in all we do; we must help the people to find their way back to God. Today people are faced with many economic, educational, social and ecological problems; but unless we make God the centre of our lives, we cannot find the right solution for them. Without God we tend to lose the sense of values and find ourselves at a loss where personal gain is concerned. Without God, our life and behaviour have no meaning.
Saint Angela, who belonged wholly to God, will help us find the real meaning of God in our lives.
Let us pray…
Following your urging, O holy Mother Angela, we your daughters, gathered at the feet of Jesus Christ, desire with you to “offer most fervent prayers …and as a good and true master, he will enlighten us about what we have to do.”
Trusting in your presence, “because now you are more alive than you were when you lived on earth, and you see better and hold more dear and pleasing the good things that you see us constantly doing, and now, even more, you want and are able to help us and do us good in every way,” and reassured that “He will never abandon this Company,” with you we raise our praises and supplications.
- We give you praise, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for it was not to the wise and the learned but to the little ones that you revealed the gift of virginity for the Kingdom.
- We give you praise, O Father, “because you have granted us the grace of being set apart from the darkness of this miserable world and of being united together to serve your divine Majesty.”
- We give you praise, O Father, because “considering our new condition,” we have recognized that you have granted the singular gift of becoming spouses of Jesus Christ.”
To you be praise and glory forever and ever. Amen!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit….
- O Jesus Christ, we give you thanks because by you, true Son of God, we have been “chosen to be your true and virginal spouses.”
- O Jesus Christ, we give you thanks because You, the Lover of us all, knowing that we have been “placed in the midst of snares and dangers,” sustain us so that we may be able to live “as is required for true spouses of the Saviour.”
- O Jesus Christ, we give you thanks because, as a master meek and humble of heart, you draw us to yourself and guide us in observing faithfully the firm commitments of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
To you be praise and glory forever and ever. Amen!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit….
- O Holy Spirit, we praise you because you enlighten our minds and revive our hearts in following and loving Christ, our Redeemer and Spouse.
- O Holy Spirit, we praise you because you pour out charisms and ministries for the coming of the Kingdom, so that everyone may receive a particular expression of them for the common good, and so that God may be all in all.
- O Holy Spirit, we praise you because you have guided us to recognize and embrace virginity for the Kingdom according to the charism of Saint Angela, and you have guided us to become witnesses with her to the love of God in the world.
To you be praise and glory forever and ever. Amen!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit….
Holy Mother Angela, assist us now in our commitment to be “united and in harmony, of one will, following your Rule, because it is most important of all to give honour to Jesus Christ, to whom we have consecrated our virginity.”
- “Because it is not enough to begin, without persevering,” help us to be “aware and prudent in embracing daily the means and ways” that you have pointed out in the Rule and that are detailed in the Constitutions, to live our firm commitments faithfully and joyfully.
- Assist us so that, by “praying to God for the true grace of the spiritual life,” we may every day be “diligent about mental and vocal prayer, together with fasting.”
- Intercede for us that, “living happily, and always full of charity and faith and hope in God,” we may spread the sweet perfume of Christ, Spouse and Redeemer, and that “his light and joyful splendour” may draw other young people to accept his invitation to be part of your Company.
- Help us to fulfill your last word, “to be in harmony and united together, all of one heart and one will, esteeming each other, helping each other, supporting each other in Jesus Christ.”
Amen.
A historic meeting in Brescia took place between 25th — 28th November 2010. Many of the sisters in the various Companies gathered to rejoice in the goodness of our Lord who will never abandon this Company of St Ursula. Praise God!
The following are excerpts from the welcoming speech by Mons. Luciano Monari, Bishop of Brescia on 25th November 2010
“I think that, for an institution, 475 years of existence are quite long; on the other hand, they are evidently a sign that Saint Angela had the foresight and spiritual intelligence to act at the right time of her life. She was very much aware of the needs, the demands and the expectations of the society she formed part of and came up with an adequate and productive answer.
Not only that; if the Company of Saint Angela withstood the passing of centuries, this meant that not only did Saint Angela act with spiritual intelligence but that, over the years, there were many sisters in the Company who were capable of regenerating and living the original intuition, in line with the needs and expectations of the people despite the changing times.
It is very interesting to look at all this from the historic point of view, because it is very enriching and educational to be able to follow the ways and trace the basic foundations which Saint Angela foresaw during her time and which were kept alive up to our time. Somehow, this broadens our views and allows us to look out for new perspectives.
As a bishop, I believe that the real problem lies in being able to live whilst addressing in an innovative manner the situations we find ourselves in.
Saint Angela acted as befitted her times, now it is our turn to face and solve the problems of our society in the same way.
We have to find a way of showing our Christian faith even in this modern world we are living in.
What I wish for is that, while looking back at the past centuries and remembering the foresight and intuition of Saint Angela and her followers, we will allow the Lord to help us understand His divine will and come up with genuine and adequate answers.
I am glad that we are seriously reflecting on the past 475 years since The Company was founded, on its contribution to the world since then and Saint Angela’s divine insight. My wish for you is that, by keeping all this in mind, past events will lead you to live the present and be productive in the future as much as Saint Angela, who was able to understand the real needs of the society of her times.
Who would benefit if all this were to happen? You, The Company of Saint Angela, who will learn to live the present, but, above all, the church because we thirst for such testimony….
St Angela, pray for us!
