VERNA, MARIA ANTONIA. - Foundress of the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception of Ivrea, born at Pasquaro (Rivarolo Canavese) on 12 June 1773, died at Rivarolo on 25 Dec. 1838.
Having consecrated herself to God at the age of 15, she began to devote herself to the apostolate among the children of her native hamlet and later of Rivarolo, where she was also able to gather other young women around her, thus forming the first nucleus of a possible future Congregation. But the aim was not achieved until after 22 years of trials, disappointments, abandonments, and misunderstandings, when, on 10 June 1828, she and 8 companions received the habit for the first time and she was elected superior. The trials did not cease thereby, but the foundress had the consolation of opening at Rivarolo in 1837 the first Aportian nursery school in Piedmont and, in 1838, the second in Turin, and of seeing her religious family and its various activities increase around her. Nevertheless, the true flowering of the new Congregation came somewhat later, but it was extensive, rapid, and flourishing, for 50 years after her death there were more than 100 houses and approximately 500 sisters. The processes and studies for the beatification of the foundress have been initiated.