FASCE, MARIA TERESA, BL.

Abbess of the Order of Saint Augustine; baptized Marietta; b. Dec. 27, 1881, Torriglia (near Genoa), Italy; d. Jan. 18, 1947, Cascia (near Perugia), Italy. Born into a wealthy family, Teresa served as a catechist in the Augustinian parish of Our Lady of Consolation, Genoa, where she became acquainted with the order's spirituality and captivated by the life of St. rita of cascia (canonized 1900 when Teresa was 19) Fasce joined the community in June 1906 and professed her vows the following year. She received permission for exclaustration (right to live outside the community) to reflect on her vocation. After ten months with her family, she returned (1911) with a determination to renew the community. Thereafter she professed her solemn vows (1912) and served St. Rita's as novice mistress (1914–17), vicar (1917–20), and abbess (1920–47). She took in orphaned girls whom she called her little bees, which thus gave rise to the name of the orphanage, St. Rita's Hive, which is located next to the church. Fasce worked to relieve suffering in the area. Additionally, she helped to build a new church and nearby an Augustinian seminary, a hospital, and a retreat house. During World War II she courageously and repeatedly opposed the Nazis by denying them access to the convent and those under her protection. Her activity obscures her deeply contemplative vocation, which she encouraged within the community. She wrote the bulletin Dalle api alle rose (From Bees to Roses ) from 1923 in order to spread devotion to St. Rita. Thereafter many pilgrims visited St. Rita's tomb. Mother Maria Teresa died peacefully after suffering for years from a breast tumor, diabetes, and various cardiac and circulatory problems, and was buried in the crypt of St. Rita's Basilica next to her patroness. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II on Oct. 12, 1997.

Feast: Jan. 18.

Bibliography: Acta Apostolicae Sedis, no. 20 (1997): 999. L'Osservatore Romano, Eng. ed., no. 29 (1995): 5; no. 42 (1997): 1, 2, 11. a. angelini, Predestinata! (Terni, Italy 1968).

[k. i. rabenstein]