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Also known as: Benedetta
Cambiagio Frassinello; Benedikta Frassinello; Benedetta Cambiagio
Profile
Daughter of Giuseppe and Francesca Cambiagio, she grew up in Pavia, Italy.
At the age of 20 she had a profound mystical experience that left her
devoted to prayer and desiring a religious life. However, to go along with
her family's wishes, she married Giovanni Battista Frassinella on 7
February 1816. The couple had a normal married life for two years, but
Giovanni, impressed with Benedicta's holiness and desire for religious
life, agreed to live celibately. The two took care of Benedicta's little
sister Maria until the girl's death from intestinal cancer in 1825.
Giovanni then joined the Somaschan Fathers, Benedicta became an Ursuline
nun.
In 1826 ill health forced Benedicta to return home to Pavia. There she
began to work with young women in the area. The work sent so well that her
husband Giovanni was assigned to help. The schools continued to grow and
prosper, and Benedicta was appointed Promoter of Public Instruction in
Pavia. However, no matter how chastely they lived, Benedicta and
Giovanni's unusual relationship drew gossip and criticism from civil and
Church authorities. To insure that she did not get in the way of the work,
in 1838 Benedicta turned her work over to the bishop of Pavia, and
withdrew to live as a nun at Ronco Scrivia.
Not content to withdraw from the world, Benedicta began all over. With
five companions, she founded the Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters
of Providence dedicated to teaching, and opened another school. Living
alone, the local authorities found no causes for gossip, and Benedicta
spent her remaining years in prayer and service.
Born: 2 October 1791 at Langasco, Italy as Benedetta Cambiagio
Died: 21 March 1858 at Ronco Scrivia, Italy of natural causes
Beatified: 10 May 1987 by Pope John Paul II
Canonized: 19 May 2002 by Pope John Paul II at Rome, Italy
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