Congregation of the Holy Family of Bergamo
The Congregation of the Holy Family of Bergamo ( Latin : Congregatio a Sacra Familia , Italian : Congregazione della Sacra Famiglia di Bergamo , abbreviation : CSF) is a religious community in the Roman Catholic Church . The founder of the congregation was St. Paula Elisabeth Cerioli (1816-1865).
history
The 38-year-old wealthy widow Constanza Cerioli (who later went by the name Paula Elisabeth) had lost her husband and four children, the last of which was her 16-year-old son. She intended to donate all of her assets to a charitable and non-profit foundation. With the rest she founded in 1856 in Martinengo the Order of the "Brothers of the Holy Family" (ital .: "Pretie Fratelli della S. Famiglia") and in Bergamo the order of the "Sisters of the Holy Family" (it .: "Suore della S. Famiglia ”) for the education of orphans and the children of poor farmers.
These two branches later merged into the "Congregation of the Holy Family of Bergamo". In 1863 she built an orphanage in memory of her son Carlino . She made this facility available to the Diocese of Bergamo and the orphanage quickly became an ecclesiastical institution . In 1901 Pope Leo XIII recognized. the founding of orders at and with the support of the bishops of Bergamo an institute for preparation for the priesthood was founded. Bishop Luigi Speranza of Bergamo granted permission for this and on April 24, 1948, the institute received approval by papal decree .
Merger
On February 2, 1937, the "Congregation of the Holy Family of Bergamo" , which was united , received episcopal approval from Bishop Adriano Bernareggi . The final renewal was carried out by the chapter of the order , in the course of the renewal, on the basis of the Second Vatican Council , in 1977. On March 19, 1986, the congregation received the status of a congregation under papal law through papal approbation .
organization
The members work mostly in rural areas and are active in Italy , Switzerland , Brazil and Mozambique . The congregation has (as of 2005) 15 houses with 71 members, 56 of whom belong to the priesthood. The seat of the General House is in Martinengo. Edoardo Rota is superior. The Order currently provides the Bishops of Serrinha and Naviraí in Brazil.