MARIA DOMENICA MAZZARELLO, Saint. - Co-foundress of the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, b. at Mornese Monferrato, in the hamlet of Mazzarello, on 9 May 1837, d. at Nizza Monferrato on 14 May 1881.

She was a member of the Pious Union of the Daughters of Mary Immaculate, founded by the parish priest, and had begun gathering the girls of the village in a rented house to teach them the catechism and needlework. When the parish priest spoke of this group to St. John Bosco, he saw in it the fulfillment of a dream and of a desire to have a female branch alongside the already founded Salesians. He therefore charged the Mother to put the idea into practice, opening a school and leaving its direction to her. After a period of trial, she and her ten companions received the religious habit on 5 Aug. 1872 and had the rules written expressly for them by the Saint. Once new houses had been opened, the Mother was elected superior general and gave vigorous impetus to the spread of the Institute. At her death she left more than 30 houses in Italy, France and Latin America with 250 religious.

She was beatified on 20 Nov. 1938; and canonized on 24 June 1951. Feast on 14 May.

Bibliography3 works

BIBL.: G. Minetti, Madre M. M., Turin 1933; F. Maccono, Suor M. M., prima superiore generale delle Figlie di Maria Ausiliatrice, 2nd ed., ibid. 1934; G. Minetti, La prima discepola di s. Giov. Bosco, ibid. 1938.

Celestino Testore

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Maria Domenica Mazzarello, Saint

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