"Lady Mother"
Carolina was born in Palermo Concetta Angela Santocanale October 2, 1852, and received the holy baptism the next day, the eve of the feast of St. Francis. It belongs to the noble family of the Barons of the Royal Celsa and was educated as befits the nobility. [...] At age 19 he is called to the bedside of his grandfather, dying in Cinisi (Palermo), where he met Don Mauro Venuti, the priest who became his spiritual director. A 21 year old agrees to be president of the Daughters of Mary in the Parish of St. Anthony in Palermo. A Cinisi, after the worsening of the social and economic crisis of 1866, comes into contact with the many poor, the disabled, the sick, the abandoned, the orphaned girls. In the 7th centenary of the birth of St. Francis of Assisi, 1882, Pope Leo XIII encourages pastors to promote the Franciscan Third Order, now SFO (Secular Franciscan Order). Carolina can thus unify its two ideals, contemplation, following the spirituality of Francis of Assisi and action, helping the poor.
A disease subjects it to sixteen months of severe pain. Heals in 1887 and 13 June of the same year, she received the religious habit following the Rule of the Secular Franciscans, followed soon after by three young men of the parish. Henceforth his new name is Sister Mary of Jesus as Francis becomes poor among the poor. With a knapsack on his shoulders and goes door to door giving to the poor what he receives alms. His heart is so big, noble and mother that no one, in Cinisi, remains without his generous and affectionate interest, especially if the old person, sick, suffering, alone. On 8 December 1909, the religious community of Cinisi is officially aggregated to the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, with the name of the Capuchin Sisters of the Immaculate of Lourdes.
Madre Maria de Jesus died January 27, 1923. A few days before, January 24, 1923 his congregation was approvatata as an Institute of consecrated life of diocesan right. Three years later, on October 24, 1926, in the seventh centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, his body was moved to the church of his Institute, in Sacramento.
In 1947 the Capuchin Sisters of the Immaculate of Lourdes are recognized as an Institute of pontifical right and in 1968 obtained the Decree of Praise. The spiritual patrimony inherited from the founder, consists in following Christ and in service to the mother's brothers, with a Franciscan way of life humble, simple, poor, minority and joy in the Gospel.
The charisma
Our founder, Sister Mary of Jesus Santocanale, was able to read the events in the plot of God's plan, intelligently interpret the religious sense of the facts, has been careful to all the events of life, national and international politics, and social policy. [...] Able to understand the plan of God for her, as all the prophets came from a profound religious experience. His inspiration and the name of our Institute define our charism in the Church: to be bread broken for the life of hunger and brothers, in the image of Mary Immaculate in the mystery of salvation. In our work we, Capuchin sisters of the Immaculate of Lourdes, we strive to show kindness, compassion and forgiveness, expressions of the sensitivity of a mother's heart who loves all children, we strive ourselves, to "break us" for the hungry each brother.
Sectors of activity and service
• Education of children in nursery and primary schools and in the colonies, according to the possibilities of the structure;
• Education of adolescents and young people in middle school and upper lower king, in vocational schools and crafts, teaching of religion in state schools;
• day care for children in need, it should welcome the ni in the housing community and family homes;
• Animation of youth groups;
• Collaboration in parish ministry;
• Assistance to the sick in hospitals and clinics;
• Assistance to elderly women living in nursing homes ,
• Assistance to physically and mentally disabled;
• Guided and, where possible, home care for the sick;
• Openness to new poverty in the area.
