Caterina SORDINI. — In religion Maria Maddalena dell’Incarnazione, foundress of the Perpetual Adorers of the Most Holy Sacrament, was born at Porto S. Stefano (Grosseto) on 16 April 1770 and died in Rome on 29 November 1824.
Having entered the Third Order of St Francis at Ischia in 1788 and been elected superior in 1802, she felt impelled to carry out a divine command, already received in a vision, to found a convent where perpetual adoration might be established. In 1807, therefore, she went to Rome with two companions, purchased from the Carmelites the house and church of SS. Gioacchino and Anna alle Quattro Fontane, and on 8 July inaugurated the new Institute of the Adorers. On 2 February 1808 its constitutions were approved and continuous exposition of the Blessed Sacrament granted; on 22 July 1818 the Institute received confirmation from Pius VII, later renewed by Gregory XVI (1838), Leo XIII (1898) and Pius XI (1927). Under Gregory XVI it obtained a larger convent (S. Maddalena al Quirinale, now S. Gioacchino dei Monti) and soon spread through Italy, Europe and the Americas.