ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL
Saints celebrated on the 7th of April
BLESSED URSULINA OF PARMA, VIRGIN
Blessed Ursulina was the daughter of commoners in Parma, named Peter and Bertolina dei Rami. Even as a child she was in constant contact with God and, although physically weak and miserable, already showed clear signs of her later, highly blessed life.
With advancing age, the heavenly enlightenments multiplied. Because of those extraordinary graces, some people took her for a sorceress or a witch.
In a revelation Ursulina received the order to travel to Avignon to persuade the antipope Clement to abolish the schism. Clement received her graciously, listened attentively to her, and felt so touched that, if the cardinals who followed him had consented, he would have subjected himself to the rightful Pope [Innocent VII]. However, his followers prevented him from receiving Ursulina once again.
After repeated attempts to reach him, she left Avignon in order to report to Pope Boniface on her visit to Avignon. From Rome Ursulina went to Venice with her mother, from where they embarked for the Holy Land on pilgrimage. After her return from Jerusalem, she wanted to stay with her mother in her native city of Parma, but was soon thereafter arrested by the tyrant Ottobonus III. sent into exile along with many other pious residents of the city.
When she became seriously ill and her mother was very worried about this, she said: "Dear mother, we must surrender to God's will, for He knows best what we need." It got worse and she prepared herself for a blessed death by the reception of the Last Sacraments. With the words: "Father! Into your hands I commend my spirit,' she passed into eternity - probably in 1410. In 1507 her relics were placed in a marble coffin, and in 1604 transferred under a new altar. She is especially remembered at Parma and is venerated at the monastery of St Quintinus.
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 5, Augsburg, 1882)
Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of the blessed Ursulina may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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