From a noble Italian family, she first entered the convent half-heartedly, but after a serious illness she underwent a deep conversion. She then lived in strict penance and organized groups to help the sick, the elderly and the poor.
Life
Saint Hyacintha Mariscotti was born in 1585 into a noble Italian family. When a marriage she hoped for did not take place, she entered a Franciscan Third Order convent in Viterbo, but for many years she lived there only outwardly, unwilling to give up worldly comforts.
Then, after a serious illness and the counsel of a confessor, she underwent a deep conversion. From then on she lived a life of strict penance and prayer and worked to found groups that cared for the sick, the elderly and the poor. She died in 1640 and was canonized in 1807.
Spirituality
Hyacintha's spirituality is the grace of a heartfelt conversion, even a late one. For years she lived a lukewarm religious life, but when she opened her heart again to God's call she became a new person. Her conversion flowed directly into love for the poor and the sick.
Reflection
Even in the convent, Hyacintha lived lukewarmly for years. If your faith feels like mere habit, today may be the day to begin again. Why not open your heart to God anew?