Pauline of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus
Saint Paulina | |
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| Abbess | |
| Born | December 16, 1865 Vigolo Vattaro, Italy |
| Died | July 9, 1942 (aged 76) Ipiranga, São Paulo, Brazil |
| Beatified | October 18, 1991, Florianopolis, Saint Catherine, Brazil by Pope John Paul II |
| Canonized | May 19, 2002, Rome, Italy by Pope John Paul II |
| Feast | July 9 |
| Patronage | Diabetics (unofficial) |
Saint Paulina of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus, born Amabile Lucia Visintainer (Vigolo Vattaro, December 16, 1865 — São Paulo, July 9, 1942) was a religious Italian-Brazilian officially proclaimed saint on May 19, 2002, by Pope John Paul II and was the first Brazilian citizen to be canonized. She suffered from diabetes much of her life and is considered by some to be the Patroness of diabetics.
Early life
In September 1875 her poor family emigrated from Italy to the state of Santa Catarina in Brazil. There the Italian emigres founded the village of Vigolo (modern Nova Trento).
Religious life
Amabile and her friend Virginia Rosa Nicolodi were caring for a woman suffering from cancer. On 12 July 1890, on the advice of a missionary Father Louis Rossi, the women banded together to live as a spiritual community with Father Rossi as the first spiritual director of the group. In 1885 the group decided to establish the group more formally and, with the permission of the church, founded the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, with Amabile as the Superior. She, along with Nicolodi and Teresa Anna Maule took their religious vows on 7 December 1890. Amabile took the name Sister Paulina of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus.
The congregation grew quickly, and in 1903 Paulina was elected Superior General. The congregation were orphans, the children of slaves, and aged slaves who had been left to die because they could no longer work.
Later in life, Paulina's right arm had to be amputated as a result of her diabetes. Despite this, she continued to work, helping to clean the convent and sewing vestments and altar cloths.
Beatification and Canonization
Paulina was beatified on 18 October 1991. On her beatification, three relics were made from three of the fingerbones of her remaining (left) hand. One was given to Pope John Paul II, the second to the convent where Paulina lived, and the third to Albert Visintainer and his family of Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania.
Paulina was canonized on 19 May 2002 by Pope John Paul II.
External links
- Saint Paulina at Catholic Forum
- Saint Paulina of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus@Everything2.com at www.everything2.com