Maria Crocifissa Curcio

Maria Crocifissa Curcio (born January 30, 1877 in Ispica , † July 4, 1957 in Santa Marinella ) was an Italian Roman Catholic religious and founder of the Congregation of the Missionary Carmelites of St. Therese of the Child Jesus . In the Catholic Church she is venerated as a blessed.

Life

Maria Crocifissa was born on January 30, 1877, the seventh of ten children to her parents Salvatore Curcio and Concetta Franzò and was baptized Rosa on January 31, 1877 in the parish church of San Bartolomeo. Rosa suffered greatly from having to leave school after only six years. But in private study of religious scriptures that she found in her parents' home, she was able to educate herself further. She was especially impressed by reading the biography of St. Theresa of Avila and brought her into contact with the spirituality of Carmel. Then she felt the call to a consecrated life in the monastery.

In 1890, at the age of 13, Rosa joined the Third Order of the Carmelites in Ispica against the wishes of her parents . Together with other young women, she tried herself in community life. The community moved to Modica and together with the other lay sisters Rosa took care of the poor and orphans. In 1895 she made her first profession and took the name Maria. From 1897 to 1908 she took over the leadership of her lay community, but noticed in the meantime that she felt more called to a monastic life than to life in a lay community. For a short time she lived in a Dominican religious community, but felt that this was not her spirituality.

In search of her vocation, she decided to found a new community with an apostolic and contemplative charism. However, many obstacles were put in the way of this project. Only when she met the Carmelite Father Lorenzo van den Eerenbeemt OCD in June 1924 did a new opportunity arise for her. With him she took part in Rome on May 17, 1925, at the canonization of Therese von Lisieux . On July 3, 1925, Rosa settled in Santa Marinella Latium and took care of the needy there. With the permission of the Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina, Cardinal Antonio Vico, she founded a community there that was recognized on July 16, 1926 and incorporated into the Carmelite Order. She herself took the name Maria Crocifissa in her new community.

In 1930 the Missionary Carmelites received papal recognition from St. Therese of the Child Jesus . In that year she was finally able to make her perpetual profession. Mother Maria Crocifissa saw the tasks of her community as bringing souls to God by supporting families, feeding the poor and bringing up children. As Superior General, she set up numerous branches and institutions. In December 1947 she was able to send the first missionary sisters to Brazil .

Mother Maria Crocifissa died on July 4th 1957 in Santa Marinella and was buried in the local generalate of the community. Today her undestroyed body rests in a chapel at the entrance to the Generalate.

beatification

Tomb of the Blessed Mother Maria Crocifissa Curcio

The process of beatification began on January 3, 1989 in the Diocese of Porto-Santa Rufina. The diocesan process ended on August 10, 1991. In 1994 the positio on her life and ministry was given to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome . On December 20, 2002, Pope John Paul II awarded her the heroic degree of virtue and the title "Venerable Servant of God".

The miracle necessary for beatification was recognized by Pope John Paul II on December 20, 2004 and the beatification was scheduled for April 24, 2005. However, due to the death of Pope John Paul II in April 2005, the date had to be postponed. On November 13, 2005, Mother Maria Crocifissa Curcio was given to Pope Benedict XVI. on the St. Peter's Square beatified in Rome.

Remembrance day

Her feast day in the liturgy of the Church is July 4th, the anniversary of her death.

literature

• Maria Rosaria Del Genio: Come sigillo sul cuore. Madre Maria Crocifissa Curcio. Profilo storico-spirituale di una fondatrice. San Paolo Edizioni, Alba 2003, ISBN 978-88-215-4865-9 .

Web links

• - Biography of Maria Crocifissa Curcio on the homepage of the Vatican
• - Biography of Maria Crocifissa Curcio on santiebeati.it (ital.)