Magdalen of Canossa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Saint Magdalene of Canossa
Virgin, Foundress
Born	March 1, 1774, Verona
Died	April 10, 1835, Verona
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	December 8, 1941 by Pope Pius XII
Canonized	October 2, 1988 by Pope John Paul II
Feast	May 8
Saints Portal

Magdalene of Canossa (1774–1835) was an Italian nun. She was born to a Veronese family; her father died in 1779 and her mother abandoned her in 1781. In 1791 she spent time in a Carmelite cloister but decided this was not her vocation.

In 1808 she began charitable work in Verona, and in 1828 set up the Institute of the Daughters of Charity (not to be confused with the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul). She was beatified on December 8, 1941, and was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 2, 1988. Her feast day is May 8.

Since her time, schools have been started in her name in many countries, often but not necessarily catering to the hearing-impaired; see the Canossian School in Singapore and St. Mary's Canossian College in Hong Kong.

Mother Josephine Bakhita from Sudan has also been named as a Canossian saint.

[edit] External links

Homily prepared by the Vatican on the occasion of her canonization