VENERINI, Rose, Blessed. - Foundress of the Maestre Pie, b. at Viterbo on 9 Feb. 1656, d. at Rome on 7 May 1728.
Educated with Christian severity, after a slight wavering, with resolute will and under the wise spiritual guidance of the Jesuits, she gave herself to a life of high perfection. Following her impulse toward practical apostolate, as early as 1682 she began in her own home a kind of catechism school, with an evening rosary for the girls of the common people and their mothers; from this developed the idea of a true public school. The first "Scuola Pia" was opened on 30 Aug. 1685, with the precise purpose of instructing the girls of the common people in religion, forming them for a truly Christian life and preparing them for civil life. Great credit in her undertaking, a very difficult one, belonged to Fr. Ignazio Martinelli, for many years her spiritual director (d. in 1716). The bishop of nearby Montefiascone, Cardinal M. A. Barbarigo, called V. in 1692 into the diocese; with his effective support, V. succeeded, within two years, in opening and organizing the female Scuole Pie in almost all the towns of the diocese. As long as Barbarigo lived (d. in 1706) she retained the superintendence of them, while the direction was entrusted, on his advice, to St. Lucy Filippini (v.). V. then, overcoming harsh difficulties and with admirable firmness, subsequently opened, and up to her death, some forty Scuole Pie. From 1713 she fixed her residence at Rome; on 24 Oct. 1716 she received a solemn visit from Clement XI, a great admirer and promoter of her work, in the very Scuola Pia of Rome. Her providential institution continues under the title of Maestre Pie Venerini (v.).
The great merit of V. lies in this: up to her time popular female education was almost nonexistent. Some rare cloistered monastery or conservatory and some city, often without continuity, had provided in some way for the purpose. V. brought the school and the solidly formed Maestre outside the convents, into even small towns, in direct contact with the people, at the same time ensuring stability through a centralized organization. Her idea was also fortunate of maintaining, as a rule, a lively contact with the girls even after they had finished school and with their mothers, thus creating around the individual schools a center of stable and active Christian life. V. was beatified by Pius XII on 4 May 1952.
Bibliography6 works
Giuseppe Löw