STARACE, COSTANZA. - In religion Sister Maria Maddalena della Passione, foundress of the Suore Compassioniste serve di Maria, b. at Castellammare di Stabia on 5 Sept. 1845, d. at Scanzano (diocese of Castellammare) on 13 Dec. 1921.
Longing for the religious life, she took the habit (1866) of the Tertiaries of the Servants of Mary, while remaining at home awaiting a better knowledge of God's will. The bishop of Stabia took advantage of this for the good of the diocese, urging her to establish and direct a Pious union of Daughters of Mary and to teach catechism to the girls; later she also directed an Association, dedicated to St. Angela Merici, of young women who led a religious life in the world, and a home for orphan girls. The young daughters of Mary who assisted her wished to take the habit of Tertiaries of the Servants of Mary as well, and the bishop gave not only the habit but also canonical institution, forming the new Congregation of the Compassionists, of which he elected the S. superior (16 July 1869). As its purpose the Institute intends, in compassionating the sorrows of Jesus and Mary, to compassionate also those of neighbor in all his needs of soul and body; it therefore established works of civil, moral and religious education and of labor. The tribulations inflicted on her by the devil, the mockeries, the persecutions and illnesses so painful as to reduce her to a single wound, refined her heroic virtue and drew effective protection upon all the works of the foundress, who experienced the joy of having the decree of praise for her Institute in 1900.
Bibliography
Celestino Testore