Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli

Blessed Giuseppina Nicoli

Casatisma, November 18, 1863 – Cagliari, December 31, 1924

Giuseppina Nicoli was born in Casatisma (Pavia), in a very religious family on November 16, 1863. She was raised in a serene environment even though, unfortunately, death took a number of brothers away at an early age. The young woman studied in Voghera and Pavia, achieving better results with the degree of master in the heart and cultivating a desire to devote herself to education of the poor. Vincenzo attracted by charisma, became a Daughter of Charity. She arrived in Turin, in the house of S. Central Salvario, September 24, 1883. A few months later she took the Parigi habit, in Rue du Bac, where Madonna, fifty years earlier, had appeared to Saint Catherine Labouré. She was only twenty years old when she was sent to Sardinia that, in time, was part of the same province of religion. To reach the island took a three-day trip. Her first assignment was to teach at the Conservatory of Providence of Cagliari. She issued vows straight five on which she wrote a thought, which was then rediscovered after her death. Addressing the Lord , she promised “to want to always faithfully serve, practicing poverty, chastity, obedience and serving for your love the poor.” She was thirty years old when diagnosed withtuberculosis, a disease that silently affected her health for the rest of her life, but never curbed the desire to continue to work for the Lord. When cholera broke out in the city, Sister Josephine was employed to cook, but once the emergency passed began the mission that would mark her life: educating young people and spreading the knowledge of the Gospel.

She began with students and workers who called her “Luigini” (protected from St. Louis). The community of Sassari, in 1899, needed a superior (called Sister serving) and the choice fell upon Sister Nicoli. Here she met the vincenzo, servant of God, Giovanni Battista Manzella. The dedication of Sister Josephine was extraordinary: she introduced the sisters to the women’s prison, established the first youth group volunteers, promoted Catechism in schools, including evening or Sunday, which reached eight hundred subscribers. She left this fertile land in 1910, when she returned to the capital of Savoy, a S. Salvario with the task of coordinating one hundred local communities and several thousand nuns as provincial economist. Then passed to her was the burdensome task of “teacher” of around sixty novices. Despite achieving excellent results, the cold climate of Turin was not suitable for her health and she was delayed in Sardinia. The various changes cost her greatly, but as we read her writingswe find that “True obedience is recognized for that simplicity that does not seek the reasons for the command, that generosity that does not distinguish between an important command and a desire not quell’umiltà if you do not have respect for God, quell’allegria pleased that God himself, that perseverance without which it is virtuous only half … The Crucified! Here’s the most beautiful Treaty of obedience.”

On the island things were completely changed, both in the community in civic education. From Sassari she was sent to asylum in Marina di Cagliari (August 1914). It was the beginning of the Great War and in the location of asylum was opened a hospital for the wounded. After passing the emergency Sister Nicoli gave birth to a series of exceptional works: LADY founded the Charity cucivano that shelter and clothing for the poor, curavano home help of the district and the summer colony for children with rickets. She directed the Daughters of Mary, including many religious vocations were born, made known in the city by the Propagation of the Faith and Holy Childhood, opened the Circle of S. Teresa, the first nucleus of the future Catholic Action female citizen. She founded the Josephites (protected by St. Joseph), guys who came from middle-class families whse injury prevented their children from attending catechism with the poor.

She was concerned that the young people from rural areas were in the service of the lords of the cities, “Zitine” (protected by s. Zita), gathered for spiritual retreats thousands of workers who worked at the Tobacco Factory. She was interested in the young bourgeoisie, she named Dorothy (protected by Dorothy S.), among which some became very good teachers. Special attention was given to street children, often orphans, who worked at the port and the market to make ends meet by acting as porters. She received hundreds who were away from their environment, instructed them, preparing them for decent work. They were known as the “Marianelli,” the Monelli of Mary. This time, however praiseworthy the Prosecutor many difficulties and misunderstandings, even within her community. In those years she was also involved in a dispute concerning the powers and ownership of asylum. With the advent of Fascism, like you saw bad management of the sisters. It was thanks to her that everything was resolved.

The writings of the Blessed are valuable for understanding her spirituality. We read: “We call ourselves Daughters of Charity, which means that we derived from the heart of God. We must demonstrate the works …”. “We must be the Guardian Angels of the Poor, and then whenever they refer to us, we should welcome them with kindness and spare nothing to help.” “We belong to God … Therefore, if God does not address our thoughts, our affection, our actions, we rubiamo what belongs”. “The Daughter of Charity not apply that to our individual movements of the heart of his spouse to adjust its”. “Do not say: they are always the same! We sail against the current of a river. If we fail to move forward, we say: Do not do anything. If you do not do anything would be carried away by current. If you are here because batch against the current, I support, surplus, I now includes merits. ” “Lord, I am nothing before you! When you go down in anything, is the light and grace. It leaves processed … The real spiritual life is this void that the soul makes itself with a total abnegation : Vacuum that is filled by God. ”

It contraddistinse ever for a holy joy: “God bless always, and always serve withfervor and merrily. The fervor feeds the joy and merriment keep the fervor, and both will benefit the material health. Oh, the joy is a remedy. “” Love makes us fly, jubilation. Serve the Lord cheerfully, be confident in him. ”
It was hers great devotion to Mary: “It’s what you can with joy and peace, and the rest Please Madonna to do so herself. Oh, are the experience and I say how can you trust to benefit the Blessed Virgin Mary. Skein of whatever, as intricate, is easily the bandol when you put your hands “. Sister Josephine was driving her sisters for many.

She had little more than sixty years when the bronchopneumonia forced he to bed. Suffered, intensified her union with God, without loss of her good mood. Years earlier she had written a confidant: “The crosses are precious gifts of God. You tell me you’re a broken wagon … I too am a broken wagon, but you see how happy I am!”. A man who had long opposed her kneeling at her bedside in death, between the tears, asked forgiveness from Sister Josephine, getting a smile of paradise. She breathed her last at 9 o’clock in the morning of December 31, 1924. The funeral so demonstrated in moving the affection of the entire city. Declared Blessed in Cagliari on February 3, 2008, her remains are venerated at the chapel of asylum Marina.
Author: Daniele Bolognini

SOURCE: Santi e Beati