January 27 + Saint Angela Merici

Angela Merici was an Italian religious educator and founder of the Ursulines whose deep prayer life and relationship with the Lord bore the fruit of mystical encounters with God. She has the double distinction of founding the first teaching congregation of women in the Church and what is now called a “secular institute” of religious women.

Born in 1474 in Desenzano del Garda, Italy, Angela (when she was 10 years old) and her older sister became orphans and went to live with their uncle. There they led a quiet and devout Catholic life. After the untimely death of her sister, Angela was saddened by the fact the that she had not had the opportunity to receive her last Sacraments and was concerned for her sister's eternal salvation. Angela was inspired by the Holy Spirit to dedicate herself to the Lord and to give her life in service to the Church to help everyone grow closer to the Lord. Still filled with grief, she prayed for God to reveal the condition of her deceased sister's soul. In a vision, she learned her sister was in Heaven with the company of saints. She became increasingly more devout and joined the Third Order of Saint Francis.

When Angela was 20-years-old, her uncle died and she returned to her hometown where she found that there were many young girls who had no education and no hope. Her heart was moved. She also became distressed by their ignorance and upset at the parents who had not educated them. Angela became convinced there was great need for a better way of teaching these young girls. So, she opened her own home to them and began to teach them herself the Catholic faith. By her example and instruction, she taught them how to pray and participate in the sacramental life of the Church. Angela’s charming manner and beauty complemented her natural qualities of leadership. Others joined her in giving regular instruction to the little girls of their neighborhood.

When she was 50 years old, she eagerly took the opportunity to travel to the Holy Land. During the journey, she was struck with blindness. Her friends wanted to return home, but she insisted on going through with the pilgrimage and visited the sacred shrines with as much devotion and enthusiasm as if she had her sight. On the way back, while praying before a crucifix, her sight was restored at the same place where it had been lost.

At 57, she established the Company of Saint Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. Though the women in the community wore no special religious habit and took no formal vows, they did pledge to live a life of consecrated celibacy, poverty and obedience. This was the first group of consecrated women to work outside of a formal cloister or convent in her day and became the first teaching order of women in the Catholic Church. The community existed as what is called a "secular institute" until years after Angela's death in 1540.

Angela Merici is the Patron Saint of sickness, disabled and physically challenged people, and those grieving the loss of parents.