Mother Eugenia Elisabetta Ravasio
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| Mother Eugenia Elisabetta Ravasio | |
| Born | 1907-09-04 Capriate San Gervasio, Bergamo, Itally |
|---|---|
| Died | 1990-08-10 |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Education | Primary only |
| Occupation | Nun |
| Title | Mother Superior |
| Known for | Isolated first cure for Leprosy, Mystic with unique message from God |
| Religious beliefs | Roman Catholic |
Mother Eugenia Elisabetta Ravasio (San Gervasio d’ Adda, 4 September 1907 – 10 August 1990)
She was born in San Gervasio d’Adda (now Capriate San Gervasio), a small town in the province of Bergamo, Italy, on 4 September 1907, in a family of peasant background.
She received only an elementary education. After a few years working in a factory, she entered the Congregation of Our Lady of the Apostles at the age of 20 years. It was here that her great charismatic personality developed, leading to her election as Mother General of the Congregation at the age of only 28.
Quite apart from her spiritual qualities, her work in the social field alone would suffice to ensure her a place in history. In twelve years of missionary activity she opened over 70 centres - each with infirmary, school and church - in the remotest spots of Africa, Asia and Europe.
It was she who discovered the first medicine for the cure of leprosy, extracting it from the seed of a tropical plant. This medicine was later studied and developed further at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. She encouraged the apostolate of Raoul Follereau, who, following in her footsteps and building on the foundations laid by her, is regarded as the apostle of the lepers.
During the period 1939-41 she conceived, planned and brought to fruition the project for a “Lepers’ City” at Azopte (Ivory Coast). This was a vast centre, covering an area of 200,000 sq.m., for the care of leprosy sufferers.It remains even today one of Africa’s and the world’s leading centres of its kind.
In recognition of this achievement, France conferred the Couronne Civique, the highest national honour for social work, on the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles, of which Mother Eugenia was Superior General from 1935 to 1947.
Her most important legacy to us is the Message of the Father (“The Father speaks to His children”), the only private revelation made personally by God the Father and recognized as authentic by the Church after ten years of the most rigorous examination
