Saint
Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello
Born: 2nd
October 1791 Langasco, Italy
Died: 21st
March 1858 Ronco Scrivia, Liguaria, Italy
Feast Day:
21st March
Also Known
As: Benedikta
Frassinello, Benedetta Cambiagio
Beatified: 10th May 1987 by
Pope John Paul II
Canonised:
19th May 2002 by Pope John Paul II
Saint Benedetta Cambiagio Frasinello
was born in Langasco Italy in 1791 to deeply religious parents - Giuseppe and Francesca Cambiagio, the last of six children.
They eventually settled in Paiva. At the age of 20 Benedetta had a mystical
experience which led her to want to consecrate her life to God in prayer and
penance, however, to appease her parents she married Giovanni Frassinello in
1816. They lived as a married couple for
2 years, but moved by his saintly wife, Giovanni agreed to live a chaste
life. They took over the care of
Benedetta’s younger sister Maria, who was suffering from terminal intestinal
cancer.
After Maria died in 1825, Giovanni
entered the Somaschi Fathers founded by St Jerome Emiliani and Benedetta joined
the Ursuline Congregation of Capriolo. A
year later Benedetta was forced to leave the order due to ill health and
returned to Pavia where she was miraculously cured by St Jerome Emiliani. Once
cured and with the Bishops approval, Benedetta dedicated herself to educating
young girls. She needed help with this,
and her father refused so the Bishop requested Giovanni to help his wife which
meant leaving the Somaschi novitiate.
They made a vow of perfect chastity in the hands of the bishop and began
their work helping the poor and abandoned girls in the city. Benedetta became the first woman to be
involved in this kind of work and the Austrian government recognised her as a
“Promoter of Public Education”.
Her training included catechesis and
life skills such as sewing and cooking.
Benedetta’s aim was to transform her students into “models of Christian
Life” and so assure the formation of families.
She was helped by young women volunteers who were given life rules that
later received ecclesiastical approval.
The work was considered revolutionary
for the time and was not without opposition.
She eventually handed over the institution in 1838 to the Bishop. She moved with Giovanni and five helpers to
Ronco Scrivia where they opened a school for girls, improving on what they had
in Pavia.
Eventually, Benedetta founded the
Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters of Providence, the education of young
girls was a top priority. Sharing the
love of God through poverty and Charity was instilled in all sisters. The numbers grew quickly as it provided a
much-needed service. Benedetta guided
the congregation until her death in 1858 dying at Ronco Scrivia. She predicted
the exact time and cause of her death.
The Benedictine Sisters of Providence
are present in Italy, Spain, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Peru and Brazil and are still
helping the young, poor, sick and elderly.
Quote: "When God wants something, He does not fail to find the
appropriate means." -Saint Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello
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