Sixteenth-century Italian who founded the Ursulines to educate girls and young women.
Life
Angela Merici was born around 1474 in Desenzano on Lake Garda in northern Italy. Orphaned at a young age, she became a Franciscan tertiary and lived a life of prayer and service. Later she moved to Brescia, where many sought her out for spiritual counsel.
Seeing the great need for the religious education of girls and women, in 1535 she founded the Company of St. Ursula, the Ursulines. At first its members did not live in a convent but lived consecrated lives in their own homes, devoting themselves to teaching. She died in Brescia in 1540 and was canonized in 1807.
Spirituality
Angela Merici's spirituality is a creative love that answers the needs of its time. Not bound by existing patterns, she opened a new path of consecrated life in the midst of the world, forming the next generation in faith. Above all, she made prayer and mutual love the foundation of her community.
Reflection
Angela saw that girls and young women needed formation in faith, and she acted. What can I do for the next generation in my parish?