St. Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello
Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Benedicta. Ever since a young age St. Benedicta was brought up and raised in her faith by her two strongly devoted parents. St. Benedicta herself due to her upbringing was always a very devoted believer and when she was 20 years old's she had a very impactful mystical experience, which lead to her decision to join the religious life.
St. Benedicta parents ordered her to get married though and did not agree with her desire to join the religious life. Therefore during the year 1816, St. Benedicta married Giovanni Frassinello. They lived together for about two years as husband and wife. However during the year 1818, they made the decision to live together but chastely, and dedicated to God.
During that time St. Benedicta’s younger sister Martha, who had cancer was taken into a hospital to receive treatment during her final battle with cancer. However Martha passed away during the year 1825, which lead to St. Benedicta deciding to join the Ursuline Congregation and Giovanni deciding to join the order which was founded by St. Jerome Emiliani.
The next few years were extremely challenging for St. Benedicta. St. Benedicta was told to go home because of her failing health. A year later she was miraculously cured through the intercession of St. Jerome Emiliani.
After St. Benedicta had been cured, she felt a calling to undertake a new mission which was to devote the rest of her life to the education of young girls.
After St. Benedicta received the bishops approval to do this type of work. The bishop asked that Giovanni were to leave the seminary so that he could assist St. Benedicta with the work that she had to do. They both made their vows of chastity in the hands of their bishop and later set out to accomplish their mission.
St. Benedicta, faced many challenges during the time she spent trying to complete the mission that God had planned for her. However her strong courage, faith and conviction is what helped her transform the education of women throughout the region. When St. Benedicta and Giovanni set out to complete God’s mission they had endured much gossip about them, which could have ruined their work. However St. Benedicta kept her faith strong and continued to be obedient to God’s will and guidance which helped her to make the right decisions during her mission to assure that she could accomplish it.
St. Benedicta eventually due to much prayer, thought it was a wise decision to withdraw and give all the stuff that she had started to the bishop. Due to the fact that a lot of people were spreading rumours and were saying other stuff about her which could’ve ruined her work forever. After withdrawing she decided to live as a nun in Ronco Scrivia.
After a few years, St. Benedicta was able to found a Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters of Providence. Her order focuses on the education of girls and building confidence in living out their vows to God for the rest of their life and eternity.
St. Benedicta passed away peacefully in her mother house in Ronco Scrivia on March 21, 1858. Her feast day is celebrated on March 21.
Prayer to St. Benedicta: St. Benedicta intercede that we may know what God is calling us to do during our lives and that we may have the patience and wisdom to allow God to guide us completely during our journey. St. Benedicta intercede that we may have the strength to accomplish God’s will during our lives and the rest of eternity regardless of how much pain and suffering we may have to endure. We pray that you may help us to be better people, and help us to guide more people to God. We ask this through Christ Our Lord and Mary Our Mother in Heaven. Amen St. Benedicta pray for us St. Joseph pray for us
May we continue to strengthen our journey to sainthood and keep others in our prayers.
Works cited:
Information (read from, not taken):
Catholic Online. “St. Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello”Bl. St. Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online. Accessed 21 March 2021.
Images:
Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello. March 21, 2021.
St. Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello. March 21, 2021.
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