BLESSED MARY ASSUNTA PALLOTTA (1878-1905) . He was born 1878 in Force (Marche, Italy), a peasant, poor, religious family. She was the oldest of five brothers and soon had to leave school and go to work to help support his family. It was always laborious, simple, friendly, very devout. In 1898, with the help of good people, he entered the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Two years later they were martyred in China seven Missionaries. It did not take our Blessed Founder to ask to send it there, a request that was accepted him. After receiving the blessing of Saint Pius X, undertook the journey with other sisters and reached Shansi (China) in June 1904. It was intended as a cook at the orphanage in a small town, Donger-kou. Here again was the simple, gentle, generous, sacrificed nun, delivered to humble jobs that lavished love drinking in your life with God. In 1905 hit the region a typhus epidemic and Maria Assunta was one of his victims. He died on April 7, 1905. Blessed Maria Assunta came from humble beginnings. His father, Luigi Pallotta, was Castel di Croce neighborhood Rotella, in the Italian province of Ascoli Piceno (Marche), and had two plots of land which he worked, but that would prove insufficient to support a family. He married a girl from the neighboring village of Force, Euphrasia Casali, in other wealthy family but now reduced to the common level of the villagers times. They put their marital home in Castel di Croce, but when Eufrasia approached him the time of their first birth, she moved to her parents home to be better assisted in important and delicate for her now. And so in Force, on 20 August 1878, they had a daughter, eldest of five children, which in baptism, held the next day, they put the name of Maria Assunta Liberata. They recovered the mother and daughter strengthened, met with Father Castel, where the small received the sacrament of confirmation on July 7, 1880 by Bishop. Bartolomé Ortolani, bishop of Ascoli. Soon after, the whole family had to move to Force in search of better living conditions. From small Assunta showed signs of having a noble and kind, gentle and humble nature, to which the fine education and religious instruction that is provided especially his maternal grandmother joined; parents were too busy to attend to his numerous offspring and seek support for what Luigi Pallotta even had to leave the home. At age six he began to frequent the village school, but barely managed to learn to read and write because domestic conditions did not allow him to attend the full schedule. Also, soon had to stay home to help his mother, absent husband, she was alone, and care for younger siblings, who taught prayers and catechism. The family went through situations of great economic hardship and to provide for such a need, Assunta not hesitate to look for jobs that did not match his age: help masons or road workers and, later, to serve as modest sewing tailor people. All were delighted with their kindness and industriousness of its stable and accommodating nature. Despite the hardships they suffered at home, kept Assunta help and asking her mother to help the poor elderly people and in particular to a poor neighbor solemnity with which sometimes shared his food. At twelve excited received first communion. His intense life of piety surfaced in his devotion to the Eucharist and Mary, his two great loves. The Hail Mary Rosary continuously flowed from his lips. Frequently visited the shrine and when its obligations permitted, spent long hours in prayer there. In addition, the pastor helped teach catechism to children. During his youth, Assunta showed signs that their future could well be the religious life, and more than once hinted to his mother the opportunity to enter a convent. In the carnival of 1897 that possibility or probability became firm decision. She and her mother attended a public dance, and a young man approached him and asked if he could kiss her. That innocent gesture was to her as the divine call to consecrate and fully God. Thereafter, she was squarely on the path to a new life, and felt strong and determined to reach the final. He intensified his life of piety and prayer, redoubled his austere penances and a close friend confided that his future was in the monastery. However, even happened moments of insecurity and despair. Her confessor adopted its decision. Her parents, but felt so good to shed their daughter and they both helped, did not object to their projects. Some people tried to dissuade her. And was overcome a serious difficulty: the poverty of his family, who did not allow her to have no personal or dowry dowry, then prerequisites for admission, even as a lay sister in any religious institute. Providentially, that same year, 1897, a son of Force bishop, Msgr. Luigi Canestrari, who lived in Rome, went to his village to rest. Assunta, surpassing herself and trusting God, was presented to the prelate explained his burning desire to be religious, while asked for his help to get your ideal. Mons. Canestrari hosted edified desires and purposes of the young, encouraged her and promised his support, but at the same time urged to think well what he wanted and begged the Lord to enlighten in a matter of such importance. Assunta was left with the impression that the prelate saw no clear vocation nor entirely trust his intentions. Then he sought the mediation of others before the bishop, and herself went to visit him. Finally, the bishop was convinced that it was facing an authentic and extraordinary vocation, so that when he returned to Rome, went to talk to the founder and superior general of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, Mother Mary of the Passion, which, undoubtedly moved by God and before the prelate as good references, accepted without further conditions young as auxiliary Sister. The Institute of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary was founded twenty years earlier, in 1877, by the apostolic spirit of Ellen Cappotin de Neuville, in religion Mary of the Passion, to bring the Gospel to all peoples of the world; centered in the Eucharist, religious living witness and proclamation of the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis of Assisi, whose spirituality have sharp features. On May 4, 1898, Assunta said goodbye to his parents and brothers and left for Rome, accompanied by a good fellow countryman who made the same journey by reason of their businesses. The next day, the village girl entered the convent of Via Giusti, where he remained three months, initiating the time of their formation as religious. The early days of monastic life were for her like a dream, the pace of his father to God the Fathers House home; everything seemed beautiful, good, pleasing; loved the order, peace, harmony that enveloped silent as a heavenly atmosphere, and felt, above all, that could realize his deepest desire: to serve God and be holy. The virtues acquired and developed at home, humility, patience, hard work, sacrifice, etc., would help to achieve this. The superior the allocated here to the kitchen. On August 5, 1898, passed the convent in Rome at Grottaferrata time to complete his training as a postulant. On 9 October following he returned to Rome to wear religious dress, ceremony in which he received the official name of Maria Assunta, and then returned to Grottaferrata to start the canonical novitiate, time training intensity in the spirit of the Institute and deepening spiritual life. As for occupations were assigned which seemed better suit your ability and preparation, considering that for the founder to San Francisco all are noble and worthy if they are pleasing to the Lord and give Him glory. Maria Assunta was designed, with another novice, to farm chickens, pigeons and pigs that the convent have in your garden. Otherwise, well disposed and prepared as coming from his village, he adapted easily and generous to the needs of the novitiate and religious life style. Completed the novitiate and accepted by the Institute, December 8, 1900 made temporary profession in the Mother House in Rome. He then returned to Grotta and full of joy and peace he resumed his life and work. He was very comfortable in their daily work in the countryside and taking care of animals. Always smiling, calm and quiet, considered his occupation as the highest and honorary commission that could be trusted, and it boasted to his good parents when they came to visit. He knew that his modest work contributed greatly to the welfare of his sisters, whom God had given gifts and talents to care for the Lords harvest more visible activities. With this belief worked from morning to night, with joy and enthusiasm, as if yours was the most important occupation, and it was therefore for her and she was going sanctifying. In January 1902, Sister Maria Assunta was moved to the new house founded in Florence. Her superiors assigned the new field of work convinced that there, although within its means and personal limitations, discreet but warm light of his good example would have a greater range. His virtues, so humble at the same time as strong and blatant, credited to the Institute. And so it went from farm work and farm to those of a newly founded and understaffed convent occupations, so I had to serve in many different offices: the sacristy, the garden, the kitchen, the wardrobe and laundry, according to the needs of the moment; also had to accompany young girls to the neighboring parish for catechism. To all came with commitment and order, and please everyone, without losing the serenity and peace. On February 13, 1904 in Florence made perpetual profession that linked forever to the family of Blessed Mary of the Passion. The village of Force nun lived happily with his sisters and their occupations. But very young had felt a strong desire, object of their prayers, to spend his life for the glory of God and spread the Kingdom of Christ in the land of infidels. In addition, this ideal was part of his vocation Franciscan Missionary of Mary. And the Institute was living times of intense missionary fervor. Indeed, the July 9, 1900 had been martyred in Tai-yuan-fou (China), in the persecution unleashed by the boxers, seven Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, St. Mary Herminia of Jesus and his companions. When the situation in that great country was normalized, Mother Mary of the Passion wanted to send new sisters to continue beyond the work of which had been sacrificed. Sister Maria Assunta Foundress wrote requesting the honor and glory of being sent to China to replace her sisters, especially in the service of lepers, and if pleased the Lord, shed their own blood for the faith and love for Jesus Christ. His request was accepted. On March 19, 1904, Sister Maria Assunta and nine other religious, having received Romes blessing of Saint Pius X, sailed for China. The journey lasted three months, with several scales and many discomforts. From Bombay, where they stayed in the convent of the Daughters of the Cross, Sister Maria Assunta wrote to his family telling the hazards of travel and how many had suffered dizziness, but without losing the good humor even in the stormiest trances. He also wrote to the superior of Florence referring to him the wonders he had seen, especially the enormous never seen or imagined by her fish, and stating that he was thrilled to get closer to their mission, but if that were the will of the good God, would equally happy in the mouth of one of those big fish. Resumed the journey and after short stops in Singapore, Hong Kong and Tche-Fou, arrived by sea to Takou. From here they moved by rail to Beijing, then to Chen-Ting-Fou. Finally, after six days of travel in a sort of litter, typical of that land transport, in June 1904 reached the goal of his journey and his field of apostolate, Tung-eul-keu, a village which is 46 km away from Tai -yuan-fou, the capital of Shansi. The small village and missionary and in mission lands, happy and excited began a new phase of his life. He wanted to attend and make everyone in China, but was aware that the part that she trusted the Lord was the same as always: from its hidden and humble jobs to help their sisters there, worked in schools , asylums, hospitals ... She used to say: Whoever helps the Apostle, part of the wages of apostle. The office who trusted him was the cook; also then helped at the orphanage. The winter of 1904-1905, the first that our Blessed passed in those lands, was especially hard. When frost disappeared toured the region a terrible typhus epidemic which was primed at the orphanage governing religious house of San Pascual Tung-eul-keu. Were numerous victims among girls welcomed there, and also between the missionary. The third of these was Sister Maria Assunta. On March 19, 1905, the first anniversary of his departure from Naples, was forced Gardar bed. For the past few days, he felt weak, pale, tired. He was infected with the terrible evil. The doctor and the sisters were expecting a benign form of the disease, but she had a feeling that his end was already coming. To prepare to receive Extreme Unction and Viaticum wanted to make a general confession. And in his last days, to the extent that permitted its forces, ceased to do acts of love for God and reiterating its full adherence to the divine will. Suffered, suffered much, but his face always remained calm, his lips never stopped burning murmur ejaculations. About seven oclock in the afternoon of April 7, 1905, just nine months after his arrival in China, slept like an angel in the Celestial Empire to wake up in the eternal kingdom of heaven. Minutes before his death, began arriving as waves of soft and delicious perfume renewing and purifying laden air the room in which agonized Bl. And after she expired, that perfume filled the room and spread to the rooms that had been; also the ways in which he had spent his coffin and his tomb became like flavored; this prodigious phenomenon lasted three days, and because the same people called Sister Maria Assunta holy perfume. It was like the last symbolic service of that violet God. The day after his death, the body of the nun was buried in the common cemetery while the crowd who had come had the feeling that a new saint had gone into heaven, where would continue its mission of humble service and kind to everyone. And they soon flourish thanks and prodigious facts surrounding his tomb or in response to the appeal of his intercession before the Lord, in China and in Italy. In early 1913 his remains were exhumed to be placed in a new tomb, and appeared completely incorrupt body of the saint. When some years later the Superior General, Mother Mary of the Passion, St. Pius X referred to the prodigious fragrance of holiness that Sister Maria Assunta had left on earth and graces and favors attributed to his mediation, Pope, impressed on all the heroic dedication of the nun their compliance with their humble duties, urged her to start as soon as the steps of the canonical process for his beatification. This was done, and November 7, 1954, Marian Jubilee Year, Pope Pius XII beatified Sister Maria Assunta Pallotta. A solemn ceremony was attended among others, in the Basilica of San Pedro, two brothers blood of Blessed, Vincent and Magdalena, the two individuals for whom the blessed Lord had obtained the miracles accepted by the Congregation of Rites for the beatification missionary, Luis Foderini and Lucia DArchangelo, and superior general of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1904, was received with Maria Assunta the blessing of Saint Pius X and she had left China. Epílogo.- A young late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, who lived in a village in the Marche region Italy, which had barely attend primary school but had worked long and hard, was opened to the action of the Spirit that drove her to devote herself to God. And became a Franciscan Missionary of Mary, to lead a contemplative and active life, serving God and neighbor in humble and hidden occupations. He was born and raised in a very simple environment, and the Lord made her great works in the small road that progressed: the way of minority, in which his whole person radiated the love of God. In our society, crazy after power and wealth, says: I ask God to inform the world what it means purity of intention ... Do it all for the love of God: that would write it with my blood. Everything. In silence, with humility and simplicity . And these small works I did, with the full use of the gifts and talents that the Lord had given him, became instruments of evangelization in Italy and China. Jesus was the center of his life. Through the Eucharistic life, hours of adoration of the Blessed, grew up in the gift of herself; Worshiping the Crucified, who gave his life for mankind, came to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge and learned to give his life for his brothers. His life was consumed in a word that sums up: Shen-Ti-Ti Shen! Eucharist, Eucharist !, Thanksgiving in Chinese.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Dec 2014 09:26:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015