Vincenza Gerosa, Saint

VINCENZA GEROSA, Saint. - Co-foundress of the Institute of the Sisters of Charity, or of the Child Mary, b. at Lovere (diocese of Brescia) on 29 Oct. 1784, d. there on 28 June 1847.

With her sister Rosa she offered a villa they had inherited as a shelter for the sick, which was to become a hospital only at their death, and to direct it she called the future St. Bartolomea Capitanio. Knowing that the latter was meanwhile thinking of forming a new Institute that would broaden her aims and widen the field of work, G. wished to make her a companion and fellow sister, keeping for herself, as she said, the ox's share. The new Congregation was born in that hospital on 21 Nov. 1832.

When Capitanio died at the beginning of the work, the whole burden of drafting the Constitutions, of setting up and obtaining approval for the Institute, and of training the new recruits fell on the shoulders of G., who, though without great gifts of intellect, but rich in good sense and with a prayerful, penitent and heroic soul, knew how to triumph over every difficulty, increasing the number of houses and sisters and spreading them even into mission lands. At her death she left 24 houses with 243 religious. She was beatified by Pius XI on 7 March 1933, canonized by Pius XII on 18 May 1950. Feast on 28 June.

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