Catholic Heroes . . . St. Lucy Filippini
By CAROLE BRESLIN
Since the beginning of the Catholic Church, the family has been recognized as the foundation of both the Church and society. Without a strong family structure, chaos ensues with violence, conflicts, abuse, and heartache. Likewise, the Church has always recognized that while the man is the head of the home as Christ is the head of the Church, the woman is the heart of the home and the foundation for a vitalized Church.
In the 17th century, as civilization deteriorated, Mark Anthony Cardinal Barbarigo saw that the Church needed to be revitalized and began planning for this work. Our Lord provided him a most fitting assistant to meet his needs. On January 13, 1672 a little girl was born in Corneto-Tarquinia, one of Italy’s oldest settlements — centuries older than Rome, which was about 70 miles southeast of Corneto-Tarquinia.
This little girl, Lucy Filippini, lost her mother, who was buried at the Church of San Marco before Lucy was even one year old. Just six years later, her father also died, being buried at the Church of Santa Margherita in Corneto. Lucy, at seven years of age, was left an orphan.
Her devout aunt and uncle then took her in and raised her. Quickly they realized what a holy example she must have been given because of her own holiness and spiritual maturity. Her wealthy parents taught Lucy to be humble and poor in spirit. Frequently she would erect little altars around their home and spend time praying in front of them.
Furthermore, she possessed an uncommon understanding of spiritual matters and the need to dress modestly. Her main focus at this young age was God and God alone. She lived to please Him.
Not far from her uncle’s home, the Benedictine nuns’ monastery, Santa Lucia, educated the daughters of aristocratic families. Lucy often visited the nuns, passing her day in the peaceful surroundings away from the bustle of city life.
Attracted by both the goodness and the holy work of the nuns, Lucy learned her catechism from them and received her First Holy Communion at the Benedictine monastery.
With each passing day her hunger and thirst for divine things intensified. Just knowing the teachings of the Church was not enough — she wanted to penetrate them and understand them so as to love God all the more. Such was her love of God that when she spoke of Him, she brought tears to the eyes of her friends.
When the time came for Cardinal Barbarigo’s pastoral visit to Corneto, Lucy’s life was about to change dramatically. As Lucy listened to the cardinal’s sermons and followed the events of his visit, she realized that he also loved God very much. Her yearning to serve God as the cardinal envisioned led her to follow him back to the seat of the diocese in Montefiascone, about 45 miles northeast of Corneto. Here she placed herself, with his approval, under his guidance.
Happily she left all her worldly possessions behind in order to find her eternal treasure. She eagerly deepened her lifelong devotion to Mary, her spiritual mother.
As Cardinal Barbarigo worked for a rebirth of Christian living in his dioceses, she faithfully and patiently waited to learn the part she would play. First, he established a seminary for young men where they would study for the priesthood and prepare to administer the sacraments.
The second phase of his plan for revitalizing the Catholic Church involved the family. To increase the holiness of home life, he knew he must start with the wives and mothers. Thus, he planned to open schools where young girls, especially the poor, would form a correct Christian conscience and learn to practice womanly virtues.
This work was what Lucy had been preparing for. Lucy would head the schools that he founded to uplift the dignity of women and thus supply for a holy life. Lucy’s love of God, her total surrender to His plan for her life, and her unbounded charity for the People of God were a great match for the tasks ahead.
By 1692 the training of teachers and staff to run the quickly growing ministry was well organized. Many schools were begun for women around Montefiascone that taught the domestic arts of cooking and cleaning, weaving, embroidery, reading, and — most important — Christian doctrine.
After the first 12 years, Cardinal Barbarigo wrote rules for Lucy and her fellow teachers to regularize both their spiritual lives and their apostolic works. As more and more women joined this work and more and more schools were built, news of their success reached Rome.
In 1707 Pope Clement XI called Lucy to start the same schools in Rome under his protection. In addition to the schools, Lucy and her teachers also held conferences for women. Much like the women’s conferences of today, these provided opportunities for women to gather as one to learn, to pray, and to strengthen their faith by meditation and good works.
Furthermore, the religious teachers engaged in the other corporal works of mercy such as feeding the poor and caring for the sick.
St. Paul of the Cross (1694-1775), founder of the Passionist Congregation, expressed great delight when he found so many religious teachers in the cities he visited. He wrote that he “was pleased to discover even in the most humble villages, small and fervent centers of spiritual renewal where the religious teachers kept alive the flame of faith, a wholesome fear of God, and an appreciation of educated life.”
What the young ladies learned in the classroom was meant to be shared with others — they were to be the channels of grace for their loved ones. As Lucy explained, “Having learned in school those things that were necessary, they repeat them to parents and relatives at home and thus become so many young teachers.”
The chain of conversions grew exponentially as the young girls developed into confident caring women who enthusiastically brought home their deepening faith. Sharing it with their families — parents, spouses, and children — brought them closer to God as well.
Lucy received some recognition while she was still alive. After her death on the Feast of the Annunciation in 1732, she was accorded honors few holy people receive.
Pope Pius XI beatified Lucy on June 13, 1926 and canonized her on June 22, 1930. Her body remains uncorrupted in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome where she lies in the last niche that was available.
Three hundred years later, the work Lucy accomplished, as envisioned by Cardinal Barbarigo, continues throughout Europe, India, Ethiopia, Brazil, and the United States.
Her feast is celebrated on March 25.
Dear St. Lucy, increase the work today of passing on the womanly arts of homemaking and family life so that we may also have a renewal in the Church as well as in society. Amen.
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(Carole Breslin home-schooled her four daughters and served as treasurer of the Michigan Catholic Home Educators for eight years. For over ten years, she was national coordinator for the Marian Catechists, founded by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
