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ST MARIA CRISTINA BRANDO, VIRGIN AND FOUNDRESS - 20 JANUARY

 

 ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY

Saints celebrated on the 20th of January

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SAINT MARIA CRISTINA OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION BRANDO, VIRGIN AND FOUNDRESS 

Maria Cristina of the Immaculate Conception Brando - first called Adelaida Brando after she was born on May 1, 1856 in Naples, Italy - showed a strong leaning towards religious life, holiness and prayer early in her life. When she was about twelve years old, she professed a vow of perpetual chastity before an image of the Christ child. Of delicate health and suffering several spells of illness, she finally managed to became a nun at the Sacramentine's convent in 1876, taking on the name Maria Cristina of the Immaculate Conception, only to become unwell again a while later. After recovering at her family home, Maria Cristina went to rent a room with the Teresiane Sisters of Torre del Greco in 1878 and founded the Congregation of the Sisters Victim Expiators of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament; their overall mission being a blend of contemplative prayer and active apostolic work centered on the Eucharist. The new congregation grew quickly, despite economic limitations and Maria Cristina's health difficulties. The community settled in Casoria, three miles northeast of Naples, grew with new houses and members, and "demonstrated great devotion to the Eucharist and diligent care for the education of young boys and girls."  The congregation founded collegiate schools for girls, orphanages, and boarding and day schools. In 1903, the congregation received approval from Pope Leo XIII, with Maria Cristina as their superior general, and on November 2, she and many other nuns professed perpetual vows. According to her biography published on the Vatican News website, "She lived her consecration with generosity, with perseverance and with spiritual joy" and "held the office of superior general with humility, prudence and amiability, giving her sisters continual examples of fidelity to God and to one's vocation and of zeal for the growth of the kingdom of God." 

Maria Cristina built a cell near the church of the convent where she lived, which she called the little grotto, in order to "be nearer in spirit and in body to the tabernacle", sleeping there in a chair every night, in order to "accompany Jesus in the Eucharist, while awake and while resting." She celebrated the sacraments regularly and practiced devotion to the Incarnation, to the Passion and death of Christ, and to the Eucharist. She went to her eternal reward on January 20, 1906. 

To this day and beyond, dedicated members of the congregation serve in various countries, including Italy, Brazil, Colombia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. 

Maria Cristina was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 27, 2003, and canonized by Pope Francis on May 17, 2015.

Sources: - https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20030427_brando_en.html - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Cristina_of_the_Immaculate_Conception_Brando - https://www.villamariacristinabrando.it/en/the-saint/

PRAYER:

May the intercession of Saint Maria Cristina commend us to you, so that through her merits we may obtain that which we cannot accomplish by our own. 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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