Happy Foundation Day of the Company
of St. Ursula!
484 years ago today,
November 25th, 1535, St. Angela Merici founded the Ursuline sisters.
On this feast day of St.
Catherine of Alexandria, Angela Merici gathered with the first 28 members of
the Company of St. Ursula and after celebrating Mass together signed the book
of the Company, thereby making their commitment to a life of virginity, service
and love for all people. They lived in the midst of family, workplace and local
community. The group would meet regularly for prayer and would be visited by
the local leaders in the Company.
At that time, to freely
choose this state of life was to engage oneself in a novel and unique
enterprise in the Church. These women courageously contributed to the
advancement of women in the society of the day, since they were not cloistered.
St. Angela Merici left her wishes and
educational approach in documents she dictated to her male secretary: her Rule,
Counsels, and Testament. As a person of rich and practical experience, her
principles were full of wisdom and common sense. These documents formed the
first Ursulines and continue to guide the Ursulines throughout the century in
their education mission.
Thank you, St. Angela
Merici, for following God’s call and founding a company of women dedicated to
service and love for all people.
We wish the Ursuline
Sisters, associates, alumnae, benefactors, friends, collaborators, companions
and members of the company all over the world a blessed Foundation Day!
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