Fr. Tommaso Manini and Mother Elena Bettini: The Origins of the Daughters of Divine Providence

8/8/2019 Fr. Tommaso Manini and Mother Elena Bettini: The Origins of the Daughters of Divine Providence

1/12

FATHER TOMMASO LODOVICO MANINI.J

1 8 0 31 8 7 2


2/12

CHaprEnSEEDS FLIGHT

On the bicentennial of the birth of FatherTommaso Lodovico Manini, we, the Daughters ofDivine Providence, are revisiting the sacred errainof our origins. Our hearts are filled with emorion

and gratitude, in the certainty that those seeds oflight are still charged with a vital force and aprophecy or today. Our origins bear his name, andit is of little imporrance if the biographicalinformation is fragmentary and at times mysterious.\Uhat counts or us s to know that we had a father,a teacher, an impassioned and tenacious guide,despite he many deeply-felt contradicrions.

!7e are not seeking this father in the past, in agrateful but far-off memory. We know that he isbefore us, he is near us to help us to read the signs


3/12

z

z

(:

z

a

of the times and respond o the new proposals frhe Spirit with that radicalness nd fidelity thatmarked his whole life.

Father Manini was bom in Reggio Emilia on May 7,lsr13. At the age of 19 he asked o be admitted ntorhe Congregation of the Regular Clergy of St. Paul;the tbllowing year he solemnly professed hisrelieious vows n the family of the Bamabites.-\tter finishing his studies of Philosophy andTheolog in Rome, a brief stay in Naples as ateacher of Rhetoric and at the College of San

Dalmr:o in Tirrin, he returned to Rome and waselected parish rector of San Carlo ai Catinari.That rvas n 1829. Father Manini was 26 and hadall the enthusiasm in his heart of a yourhct-rDSCr?tedo God and the charismatic ire of hisFr-runder: ...the Crucified Christ wiII send Jou topnxlaim a spiritual uiuacity and the liuing spiritever;u,here".l

In rhe historical center of Rome, he young parishpriest soon came into contact with its shockingsocial and spiritual degradarion: "The districtwasrhe dzn of disorderly ommon people who uied withthose of Tiasteuere and Monti for the record infierceness". We understand as we continue readingthe history of the times, that such "fierceness"ret-erred to the poorest people who were

constantly struggling or survival.

S. ANroNIo M. Zncc,qRln, etteraIV, Rome 1975, p. 50.

Every day Father Manini would walk though thestreets hat come out into Campo dei Fiori, theroads that led to the nearby Piazza Venezia; he

would penetrate into the most hidden alleyswhere the squawking and cr ies of the helplesschildren rang out.His heart shuddered at the sight; he could notresign himself to just look; he could not limithimself o preaching; e felt he had to give hls life.In imitation of Jesus, dead and arisen, whichconstitutes the heart of Pauline spirituality, he

knew he was called to "lose his own l ife" and heprepared himself to accept the project of lovewhich Providence would reveal o him.


4/12

-z

z

z

L

z

At the time he could neither imagine the scopenorforesee ts price, but there he was, mmersed nprayer, n the shadow of a confessional.

J,rst " few steps from San Carlo, in the parishcommunity of Santa Lucia alle Botteghe Oscure, afamily lived on whom God's predilection resred.It was a simple, hard-working family, a profoundlyChristian family that lived the Word of God andtmsted in Him.The youngesr daughter made her FirstCommunion in the Pia Casa del Bambino Gesu

near St. Mary Major and she completed hersndies in the school of the Maestre Pie Veneriniat the Arco dei Ginnasi. in her oarish and thenearby churches she was given charge with thegreatest confidence of catechesis for the littlechildren. Her name was Elena Bettini and shewas ifteen years old.

CHaprrn IROADS HATMEET

In the first half of the nineteenth cenrury, wecannot say hat schools were acking in Rome. Buttimes were tough and many things had changedfollowing the historical events we all know. The

schools were run by a liberal and fundamentallysecular State which also intervened in the relief,charitable and educational works that belonged othe Church.The school Father Manini dreamed of for thepoorest ittle girls in his parish was very different.The school of Providence had to be completelyfree of charge, free from influential persons or

interested protectors; t had to be a school withoutthose human supporters who, sooner or later,created dependency. It had to be a school that


5/12

:repared for hfe and thus also for typically:eminine rvork n view of the family.Fut u-ith u'har means would he achieve his? And'.rhat ptrrver could he count on? He entrusted-ie.e questions each morning to the Mother of

Drr-rne Providence and watched for the signs ofG.rl's will along he paths of everyday ife. We do..s lntr\\' if he confided all t his to anyone. Some

projects hat are "built on air" are naturally avoidedor ridiculed. Human prudence, which is alwayscalculating, equires imits.

Father Manini wa s roo young to be takenseriously. Wh o would ge t invoived ln anadventure of this size? But God's eyes were set ona simple and small crearure who was completelyopen to Grace, and he was waiting for the hour oftheir appointmenr to do great things withher. Samuel was supposed o consecrate ne of thesons of Jesse as King, but none of them were

pleasing o God. Only the youngesr on was efr, aslight ittle boy, who took the flock to graze."Ariseand anoint him; it is he"One day, we do not know when, as he Roman skysuddenly urned dark and it started pouring, ElenaBettini found refuge ight there in the church ofSan Carlo. The rain continued, so she walkedinto the large beautiful church and stopped ro

pray before the sweet image of the Mother ofDivine Providence. Then she saw rhe smallconfessional ight and knek down."Elena could. ot ignore he charm hat. manated romthat paternal, majesric figure of the fully-grownreligiouswho was both auerse o the worl.d's ashionsand din, secluded n prayer and study, and yet -precise\ for this eason- so close o the spiritual needs

of souls. ShehadcertainlJ ttendedthe eruices ttheBarnabites of San Coilo, which were often solemn,attended by both great and modest personages. She


6/12

2

z

i -

mrlir h41'e ecwd t least some cycles f preaching yluse religiousand perhaps hls cras enough o irnprint--,n he \oung womlrl7's soul a feeling of respect nd

;cpndnbility which the religious f San Carlo were,-;rpuble i cwousingn those who associated ith themn"J oi u'hich obuious proof wes the Catinari parish-inJ relrgrous ouse, a cenacle of cuhure and pietyhraughout he nineteenth entury" '

Elena Bettini did not know that it was Father\{anini in the confessional, ut she opened up her

heart to him. Being an expert spiritual director,*re parish rector noticed the girl's transparencyanJ inner freedom; he recognized he signs ofGoJ's passage n her life and felt a new hope growin him.-Llrhough \rery young and inexperienced, ElenaBenini shared his same passion or educat ion; shehal a dream n her heart and would soon realize

rhat there was Someone waiting for her.Er-enthing happened o quickly: on September ,lill. three young women Violante Parigiani, uisa\{isliacci and Elena Bettini received he habit fromFerher Tornmaso Manini which would distinguishrhem as "Daughters of Divine Providence".F..r the time being they were "the young nuns ofSan Carlo", and on November 21st of that same

i= -..-- \ 1. P.rc.lNo, ht cann per le anciulle overefra Tiastevere: . {-.r:rlr : il sor er deLI' per di Elpnn Betani.

year, he first school was opened with them, theschool hey wanted so much. Father Manini founda house, albeit poor and unadorned, and there

were rooms for the school although they lackedmany necessary hings. "Via dei Falegncnni s a sightouerflowing with common tuomen with their ill-mannered nd noisy dnughters" t But very soon aneven greater sight filled the people from theneighborhood with wonder: "The sight of thenumerolts, more md more disciplined chool irlswhoattended San Carlo every drrycaused &rreoJen reeter

Iiking for the new institution so that uerJ soon,because f the Inck of rooms, regisuation ad to beclosed"aThere was one observer among the people whocame rom the nearby Collegio Romano, ogetherwith some riends, ust to enjoy "fhe edifying ight fthe youngnunsleadingalongline f glrlsnto chtnch".It was Msgr. Raffaele Sirolli, our "Angei Consoler",

as Elena Bettini would call him, the greatest andmost beloved benefactor of the Institute.A year had not passed ince he foundation whenFather Manini informed the Holy Father about tdirectly:"Under the protection of Mosr Holy Mary ofProvidence, n the parishof San Carlo ai Catinan, a

' L. M. MaNzrNy -a Serua i Dio Suor Mmia Ebna Bernnl, Rome1946, p. 14.4L. M. MaNztNt, p. cit.,p. 75.


7/12

t:frF&!4z

z

tr@z

G@FtrrF

rdrml has been erected. Three persons set he stoneof rtis builting. . . They oined together nd in only one$irit ui with only one heart they set o work. The

grrld-J lave setfor themselues s the education f theWrest, mosf abandoned and endangering orendmgnen girk in brief society's ejects. At presentthsre are eight earhers o whom another en or twel.veuwlir uery much to be alded who haue already sorc4rcstcd. They saw and see, with inexpressiblecorwlalirn, tJvir pious ntention bles ed by G od n thettttrl wretched, miserable 1rls, athered p rom public

fororrnhs ar roads...who attend their schools, aregrdually shawingthnt heyarelearning, ogether ithfem of God, tlrcpractice f Chnstian virtues..."

Cnaprrn IIEVERYONES NOT ABLETO UNDERSTAND

Every work of God experiences he desert, trial,toil, temptation and often persecution. FatherManini saw the birth of Via dei Falegnami, No.58, the first free school in Rome for the poorest

girls. He drew up its program, set the weeklyschedule and divided up the tasks andresponsibilities. He was already rhinking about aRule for the small religious community. TheSuperior was Volante Parigiani who had all therequisites and was a few years older than the 18year old Elena Bettini. Sister Maria Violante wasa woman of prayer, a strong woman capable of any

sacrifice. a woman who loved."At Inst a school, although brutd new, hns beenopened by some earhers called of Proq)idence' ho


8/12

.;,.. ,. contmunity ith a particular ule hnthas still'- . : :.err approved. Their nstitution ims at teaching:" - -rrls religton, ql,omen's work and the first

..:".;rrr-.. and rheyabsolutely ant to be poor and or-..::;ng m the world wiII they take the slightesr-- ":::rr-i.rriortfor their efforts" '.- iheir elementary schools "filled with 200'-.;::-r,-.",thel'soon added ursery chools nd da y:. .:.eries.i:-n-L he tirst rules outlined by Father Manini, ther -rrtrse .'lf the Work was clear: "While the Sisters

r.:., r,ill be admitted o this Institute will striue o-..,-.-rr-. stat united to the Lord through constantr--:'..T. ihel ruill make unceasing fforts for the.r:-.;:,ri ntd temporal enefit f the poor g1rls"^: rLiil not be possible o open a house without

. i:-::.i-.hing n entirely ree school here or poor girls,--':; :h: poorer hey re, the more hey willbe entitled: :: ,iimirred".---. -

tbr the admission of young women to- :.ecrated ife, in anticipating he times, Fatherl"l:-lni Jid not ask or a dowry. The poorest girls: : - l a l : t r h e a c c e p t e d , p r o v i d e d t h e yi-:t..nsrrated, like the others, an authentic- . - i l tkrf l-

l- i n'ever. n seeing he number of young women::--''r' Jai' bv day, despite he rigorous poverty of

::-r Institute and the full-time work, Father

- ,, \1--i.cHtrt, ir-r n 1842 publication.

realized hat he needed help and urgently askedfor a house or the Novitiate. In 1833 he wrore tothe Holy Father and expressed is heart's desire:

"Knowing that odq for many Joung women called oa secludedlife utside he world he ack of means s agreat mpediment, nd that n most mon&steries n thiscity, indeed n all of them, those who are borncommoners re excluded, the Daughters of Di+tineProuidence) rustingin God's nfinite prouidence, ndlooking only at the proof of virrue, do not ask ordowries nd do not reject nyone.

A monastery s really Lacking hich embraces ll theconditions nd does not look at fortune, where theonly patrimonywill be a sincere tocation. .This reflection and the sight f this good moues me tobegYour Hohness or a pb.ce, ewen f it is small ndlacks conveniences, n which to put. he postulants sin a Nouitiate, and to let them experience heiruocation here"

Providence used mysterious ands or well-knownfaces o give abundantly, but it always eft greatroom for the young nuns' sacrifices nd privations.Sometimes Providence was silent so that faithwould grow and trust would increase.One morning, after days of painful waiting andunanswered prayers, when th e workers werethreatening o stop the work on the school, ight

after celebrating Mass, Father Manini saw a smallforgotten parcel in the sacristy: t was the sumneeded o Dav he workers.


9/12

s Sometimes the breath of evil became blood-curdling, but only to make the work grow,abandoned solely to the Father's loving

Providence. The Father who covers the fieldswith flowers and does not forget the birds in theskv. ook care of them.Cowards would cry, "How is it possible o found awork like this recklessly, without a pennJ, with nosupportl" "An Institute buik on air...with no one'ssupport, s destined o crumble"This would have happened, ut the real paternity

of the work went back to Divine Providence.Therefore, t is understandable hat Elena Bettini,at the proposal to open a house, the secondMother house of the Institute, in an ill-reputeddistrict like Testaccio, imply said, "This s a workfor us".She had learned from Father Manini to counrsolely on the Providential Presence of God the

Father, to do His will with daughterly love, toexperience he poverty of the least ones by beingalways at their service in the most devastatedplaces.In the letter dated 1836 regarding a proposedfoundation, Father Manini would not hide thefact that the Institute was founded "on surchuncertain bases", ut he immediately explained:

"1 say uncertain according o man-

but a mostcertain, most solid, unfailable, eternal foundationaccording o God. Howeuer, with great prudence

rygqW;;


10/12

snetimes rhe Superiors ase heir udgnent on the

fornm andrctonthelatter". .

he had to present a briefdaughters, he gave them onlYOne day,'identikit" whenof his--

z

z

z

L

&

z

two characteristics: "They are poor...md they itteerfirely abandoned o the Father's ouingProuidence"The whole force of our origins rests on this''Blessed are those who trust n God ad do not thinkaburt tmnonow, but sleep confidently n the arms ofdw l-ard's Paternal Prouidence"u

The wonder lies here, the secret s found only infaith, but not everyone s able to understand his.

6Letter ftom Vercelli dated October 28' 1847

Crnprsn VYOU BELONG TO GOD

One evening in October 1835, Father Manini,suddenly aged by the weight of what he was aboutto tell his daughters, ntered he little house on Viadei Falegnami.Perhaps, in the hopes of ending that "pusecutionwhichhad urdub tned he holy F owdn' s patience"T, ehad asked o be exonerated rom the office of parishrector, but he had to leave for Turin.The pages that record those days are heart-rendering. Suddenly, after only three years, whilestill in the midst of storms and questions, he, "theprouiAer, dw father, the cunfort, the gtidp"a was nolonger there.

7/8From the memoirs of Via dei Faleenami.


11/12

z

z

z

z

Father Manini had already entrusted hem to theSuperior General of his Congregation; he begged iscontreres o support he work which he cared about

more than life; he paid the rent for three years nadvance and had to leave.S4nere did he find the words of comfort for himselfand his daughters if not in faith? "The thaught oflrn*g n go away rom you wouldbe he firstand mainrlrorrglrt thnt couU" sadden me if the Inrd, in Hisgoodness, d not moq)e e n put aLImy hopes n Him" .He rvas iving the highest moment of "gluinglife"

and rvanted to state humbly that he was not theFather, but just an instrument in the hands ofPror-idence. t was God's will that counted and hecrruld accept it , even without undersmnding t.On this rock he had founded the Institute, thename he chose had to be precisely "Daughters ofDivine Providence". These daughters had such ahearrfelt desire o do God's will, above all and

despite everything, hat until our times, he echo.'rf his abbreviation hat opened every etter hascome down to us:PPPADDV (for the most perfect fulfillment ofDvine Will).That evening he moment had come o give witnessrith his life and with a heart that was breaking'-{tter blessing hem one by one, Father Manini's

parring words stayed n their hearts: "You do notL"k^s n yotaselues or to enJone else: ou belong oGod".

"The loorc ou hnue or the Lord will teach and moueyou in your generous ndertaking o that you will beable to say with the sacred bride: My loq.ted ne isentirely mine anA am entirely His, and I do nothingexcept o please Him" ."Befaithfulto the Bndegroom, ourageous n aduersityfiIlzdwith zeal cn the good of yorn neighbor. Let rherebe chmity and union unong you, chmity or eweryone.Keep chmity n mind" ow and"oreuer".nProvidence chooses whomever it wants, and everymission has its own time: some are called to sow,some o inigate the soil, some o gather the fruits.Some are called at the first hour, some at noon, andsome n the evening. Time belongs o Providence,and it is not the length of life that counrs, bur rheintensity of the love that is given gratuitously afterreceiving t gratuitously rom God's Heart.

Do not be afraid of tomorrow; do not be woniedabout his or that. The Father knows what you need:"Lookat hebirds n the sl


12/12

Gd ctotlwslw grrssn the iellswhichs here day md

dvanm nn ti fimare tomorrow, wiILhB ct rrnrchmrne nk after you, Jou men of Littleoith? So dn rct

nun)'; dn rnt say,'Whnt ewen eat?Whntme wen

drh;ftlHow&rewe nbe clnthedl'his tlwpagmswho

s tlwirhem-s naLLhese hings'Yowheauenly adwr

hronas ou ced them aLL' Set yow hears m His

Wrgdt; first,ud on His nghteousness, d all these

oller t)'ungs illbeg'ven oua well" to

and too often feel anxietY,anguish and trePidation

about something theYare always lacking to

be h"ppy, Jesus

'oMt6,26'33.

continues o offer this wonderful image of the birdsin the sky and the flowers in the field.The Daughters of Divine Providence are called tobe creatures f hope and trust, creatures who entrustthemselves o the Father's oving Providence withthe simplicity of children.The priority search or the Kingdom of God freesthe heart from all anxiety about the future, fromany worries about today's efforts, and creates a"resefved" nner space hat no concerns can reachbecause t is inhabited by the ProvidentialPresence f God.This was he heart of the new charisma which theHoly Spirit was giving to his Church in the handsof Fathe r Tommaso Manini and Mother ElenaBettini.

To people oday and yesterday, ho are

alwaYsconcemedabout the future

Fr. Tommaso Manini and Mother Elena Bettini: The Origins of the Daughters of Divine Providence

Documents

Transcript of Fr. Tommaso Manini and Mother Elena Bettini: The Origins of the Daughters of Divine Providence