FILIPPINI, LUCY, ST.

Foundress of the Pontifical Institute of the Religious Teachers Filippini; b. Tarquinia, Italy, Jan. 13, 1672; d. Montefiascone, March 25, 1732. As a child she helped her pastor to teach catechism. When she was 16, Cardinal Marc'Antonio barbarigo, Bishop of Montefiascone, sent her to a monastery of nuns, where under his guidance, she prepared for her future mission. She remained there until 1692, when she joined Bl. Rose Venerini (until Lucy took over completely in 1694) in the work of educating the poorer girls of the diocese (see venerini sisters). On Oct. 15, 1704, the community was formally established, receiving their rule and habit from the cardinal and pronouncing their Oblation. After the death of the cardinal in 1706, the community was called to Rome by clement xi, developing into the institute of today, which is under the sponsorship of the Apostolic Almoner. From 1828 to 1896 there was an organizational division in the institute, which has some 2,000 members in about 180 houses in Italy, England, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States. Lucy, noted for great virtue, was beatified June 13, 1926, and canonized June 22, 1930.

Feast: March 25.

Bibliography: p. p. parente, Schoolteacher and Saint (St. Meinrad, Ind. 1954). j. a. abbo, L'Istituto delle Maestre Pie Filippini e la Santa Sede (Rome 1962). g. basile and g. calabrese, Forever yes (Philadelphia 1979). p. bergamaschi, From the Land of the Etruscans, tr. m. marchione (Rome 1986).

[m. marchione]