Origins of the Ursuline Sisters: The Legacy of St. Angela Merici

St. Angela Merici

Founder Angela Merici was born in Desenzano, a small town in northern Italy in the year 1474.

Her father was a farmer who at an early age read to Angela the lives of Saints and holy Virgins.

She received very little formal education, but learned the value of hard work and ardent prayer.

St. Angela MericiSadly, Angela lost both of her parents by the age of ten.

She moved with her older sister to the town of Salo to live with an uncle. Shortly thereafter her sister died without receiving the last sacraments.

This greatly upset Angela. She became a tertiary of St. Francis giving herself more deeply to fasting and self-denial, and increasing her prayers for the soul of her sister.

Angela Merici’s VisionWhile in prayer Angela would ask God for some sign that her sister was alright.

One day, while working in the fields, Angela had a vision of angels and young girls approaching, one of whom she recognized as her sister. Greatly comforted by the vision, Angela interpreted it to mean that God wanted her to found a company dedicated to young women.

Angela’s Early WorkWhen she was twenty-one she moved back to her home town of Desenzano and converted her home into a school.

Angela was convinced that there was agreat need for young girls tobe educated. Daily she would gather the little girls of Desenzano to teach them the elements of Christianity.

In 1535 Angela chose twelve virgins and laid the foundation of the order of the Ursulines in a small house near the church of St. Afra in Brescia. In January of 1540, after serving only five years as superior of the newly founded order she died.

Establishing the Ursuline Order Angela’s Company of Saint Ursula, or

the Ursulines was the first non-cloistered community of women in the history of the church, and the first religious community for women.

Instead of living in cloister, the first Ursulines continued to live with their families, gathering regularly as a community for prayer and educational outreach.

Angela’s MissonShe wanted women to devote themselves to every sort of corporal and spiritual work of mercy; with particular emphasis on education.

By educating children in the environment in which they lived she strove to make improvements in social conditions.

Angela and her followers reached out to rich and poor alike with special concern for the development of a strong family life.

The Ursuline order spread rapidly throughout Europe in the century following its foundation.

In 1639 a group of three crossed the ocean and set up a missionary in Quebec, “to instruct little French girls and to Christianize the Indians”, as it were.

In 1727 in New Orleans the Ursulines founded the first educational institution for young ladies in the United States.

Twenty-six Ursuline nuns were arrested in 1792 and were sent to the guillotine in 1794 for refusing to give up their faith.

The beginning of the 18th century marked the height of prosperity for the Ursuline order. There were approximately 20 congregations, with 350 convents with anywhere between 15,000-20,000 nuns.

Ursulines in Springfield

The nucleus of Springfield’s Ursulines order was Rev. Mother Mary Joseph Wolfe.

In 1857 a group of five nuns came to Springfield, moving into the fashionable St. Nicholas—a brand new establishment at the time. In 1929 the Most Reverend James A. Griffin, D.D., Bishop of Springfield founded Springfield Junior college a coeducation institution conducted by the Ursuline nuns.The school originally opened began as an all girl’s school, but by 1981 became co-educational.

St. Angela Merici

She was beatified in 1768, by Clement XIII, and canonized in 1807, by Pius VII. Her feast day is celebrated January 27th.

St. Angela Merici Quotes“Disorder in society is the result of

disorder in the family.”

“We must give alms. Charity wins souls and draws them to virtue.”

“If according to times and needs you should be obliged to make fresh rules and change certain things, do it with prudence and good advice.”