Views From the Tower Alumnae Magazine

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BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

St. Lucy Filippini

B y : S r . J o s e p h i n e P a l m e r i , M . P . F .

The 350th birthday of St. Lucy Filippini was celebrated on January 13, 2022 by Filippini Sisters around the world. The entire Jubilee Year is marked with special liturgies, prayers, and activities.

Officially known as Maestre Pie Filippini, hence the M.P.F. following their names, the Religious Teachers Filippini held celebrations in each of their schools and missions on five continents, with Masses, prayer, festivities, and contests.

On May 14, 2022, Sister Ascenza Tizzano, M.P.F., the Mother General in Rome, led an extraordinary Vatican audience with Pope Francis and 3,000 sisters, clergy, faculty, catechists, and children of their schools in Italy. Most of us watched this Vatican commemoration via television during which Pope Francis noted that St. Lucy is often pictured with a crucifix as she points to Jesus, a source of strength and a love for all God’s children.

St. Lucy Filippini was born in 1672 in Tarquinia, a village in Italy. She was rich, pretty, educated, and of a noble family. Her mother died when Lucy was a baby, and her father passed away not long afterwards. She was especially close to her Uncle Michael, who also died at a young age. Sadly, St. Lucy lost three beloved people before the age of ten, at which time she was taken into the family of a loving aunt and uncle who raised her to adulthood.

In 1692, under Cardinal Barbarigo’s direction, St. Lucy, at age 20, gave up all her money, jewels, silks, and satins, for a plain black dress and promised to devote her life to God by helping the poor.

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She and Cardinal Barbarigo founded over 45 schools where poor girls learned weaving, sewing, lacemaking, and embroidery.

The young women were also taught reading, math, music, and religion, which rose the status of the girls, since most women at the time were illiterate. Such educated young women could now earn a living, saving them from life on the street or an arranged marriage at a young age.

The desire for an education by young girls led St. Lucy to open many schools throughout Italy to which she traveled by donkey. The ministry grew as her married students taught their skills to their daughters. St. Lucy’s dedication to the education of poor women led to an overall improvement in their lives and the lives of generations of people to follow.

Unfortunately, St. Lucy’s vision for the future was not always easy, as she was faced with enemies who did not support her work. Falsely accused of heresy, St. Lucy was forced to defend her teachings to the Pope, who placed her schools under his care. For this reason, the Religious Teachers Filippini are under the protection of the Holy See and are known as the ‘Pontifical Institute of the Religious Teachers Filippini.’

Although St. Lucy worked tirelessly in Italy, she longed to be “in every corner of the earth” to teach about God’s love. She died of breast cancer in 1732 at age 60. Today the Religious Sisters Filippini are present in eight countries, on every continent except Australia: America, Albania, Brazil, England, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Italy, and India.

St. Lucy continues her work in each student who passes through the hallways of Villa Walsh Academy. Pray to her and ask her to bestow her love and mercy upon you, protect your family and intercede for your protection.

Sister Ascenza & Sister Mary Beth Meet Pope Francis

On May 14, 2022, Sister Ascenza Tizzanno, M.P.F, and Sister Mary Beth Lloyd, M.P.F. met Pope Francis during a Papal Audience at the Vatican to commemorate the 350th birthday of St. Lucy Filippini. On the next page, please read Pope Francis' inspiring thoughts and words of joy to the pilgrims of the Institute Maestre Pie Filippini and the Dioceses of Viterbo and Civitavecchia-Tarquinia on this special occasion.

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SPEECH OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS PAUL VI AUDIENCE HALL

Dear brothers and sisters, welcome!

I offer my greetings to the Sisters Maestre Pie, the Mother General and all of you, believers of the dioceses of Viterbo and Civitavecchia- Tarquinia, accompanied by your respective Bishops and priests. Heartfelt greetings also to the Mayors and the other Authorities that are here. And to you, children of the First Communion! I share your joy for the 350th anniversary of Saint Lucia Filippini's birth. This Jubilee Year is a precious time for each of you: it is like going back to the sources to draw new energy for the future; however, it is also an opportunity to thank the Lord and also to ask him to be channels of that same grace that Saint Lucia received and generously distributed to so many people. I would like to share with you two brief thoughts: one is more directly addressed to the Institute of the Maestre Pie Filippini; the other is for all of you, devotees of Saint Lucia.

Dear Maestre Pie, your mission is already challenging from the very beginning of your name, Maestre, which means 'teachers'. A teacher is the one who teaches. Nevertheless, a proverb says you don't teach what you know but what you are. We convey to others what we are inside. It is not enough to fill our heads with ideas, this is not educating; to educate is to convey life, and to be teachers is to live a mission. On the other hand, if we make nice speeches, but life goes another way, we risk being just actors who play a part, but not educators. The example of your Foundress can help you live this mission.

Santa Lucia is usually represented with the Crucifix in her hand or in the act of pointing at it. She knew how to teach so many people, first of all because she did not cease to be a disciple of Jesus Master herself and to stand in front of his desk , that is the cross. She had God, who gives life, before her eyes and felt she was called to make life a gift; thus, she conveyed to others what she kept in her heart: not sermons, not theories, but contents and life, contents of life. Her educational mission was nothing but her mystical experience.

Dear sisters, all this reminds us that we cannot be satisfied with “teaching” Jesus; Jesus first of all testifies to himself; this is how faith is conveyed; God is communicated only if he dwells in our life, if he fills our affections, if he unites our thoughts and inspires our actions. And what is the proof of this? Our openness to others: those who know the Lord, do not shut themselves up in the sacristy, but live to serve, not caring where or what they are asked to do. Living to serve, because service is the great teaching of the Master, who came to serve and not to be served (cf. Mk 10:45).

We often talk about the difficulties of religious life, the lack of vocations, etc. I would like to give you a piece of advice, that will not be the immediate solution to these problems, but the main way to deal with them: we are not meant to "put Jesus in the center ”, as if we were the protagonists; we are called first of all to remove ourselves from the center, which belongs to him, to live consecration as a call to service. This is what allows Jesus to act in us as he wishes and to teach us to overcome resignation and wistfulness, to interpret our complex age, to courageously take new paths according to the times. It will be good for you to remember the image of Saint Lucia with the Crucifix in her hand: not to us, but to Him belongs the center; and we will be good teachers if we remain disciples, called every day to serve, with joy!

A second thought, addressed to all of you who celebrate Saint Lucia Filippini. This woman had a secret: she lived with constant trust in God, because "He cannot cease to be a father to me."- she said- I would like to repeat these words to you: He can not cease to be a father to me. Often, in life, we worry because we have to leave so many things: some certainties, the years of youth, a little health, perhaps loved ones, and so on ... Well, if in life there are people and things that sooner or later we must leave, there is a presence that we will never leave, a fundamental certainty that will always accompany us and that nothing and no one can ever erase: God can not cease to be my father. This is beautiful! Shall we all repeat it together? God can not cease to be a father to me. One more time, louder: God can not cease to be a father to me. Carry this thought in your heart. Everything can fail, but not God's tenderness.

Let us always remember it, especially in dark times: God never abandons us, because he can not cease being a father to us. Let's repeat it together: God will not cease to be my father. We keep this good message in our hearts, which nourishes confidence. I wish you can announce it to those you meet, to rekindle hope in them too. It is so much needed today; It is a mission that concerns each of us. Good mission, therefore: I give all of you my blessings and I ask you, please, to pray for me.

Thank you!

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