PETRILLI, SAVINA. – Foundress of the Sisters of the Poor of St Catherine of Siena, b. at Siena on 29 Aug. 1852, d. there on 18 Apr. 1923.
A pupil of the Daughters of Charity, then a young homemaker responsible for domestic affairs and the education of her younger siblings, she devoted herself passionately to teaching catechism in the parishes, especially to preparing children for First Communion. Having gathered several companions in her home to work there for the poor and for churches, all of them took religious vows in the domestic chapel on 15 Aug. 1873; and on 7 Sept. 1874 the new Congregation moved to a new house, together with the few poor girls already received and educated in her paternal home. From that day onward, under P.’s governance, foundations were not slow in being established in Italy, Brazil, and Argentina; and since the purpose was to relieve every moral and material need of the poor and working classes, printing shops, bookbinding workshops, agricultural works, fine arts, etc., were added to foundling homes, kindergartens, schools, recreation centres, etc., and to hospital service in hospitals, asylums, etc. P. saw her Institute approved by the Holy See on 15 June 1906. In 1941 the informative process for her beatification was begun.