Verna, Maria Antonia

VERNA, MARIA ANTONIA. - Foundress of the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception of Ivrea, b. at Pasquaro (Rivarolo Canavese) on 12 June 1773, d. 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 village and then 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 this aim was not achieved until after 22 years of trials, refusals, abandonments and misunderstandings, until on 10 June 1828 came her first clothing and that of 8 companions, and her election as superior. The trials did not cease with this, but the foundress had the consolation of opening at Rivarolo in 1837 the first Aportian asylum in Piedmont and in 1838 the second, at Turin, and of seeing her religious family and her various activities grow around her. Nevertheless the true flowering of the new Congregation came somewhat later, but it was ample, rapid and flourishing, for 50 years after her death the houses numbered more than 100 and the sisters about 500. The processes and studies for the beatification of the foundress have been begun.

Celestino Testore