It is from Lovere, a little town nestling on the shores of placid Lake Sebino in the province of Bergamo, in the Northern Italy. Here was the birth of Bartolomea Capitano on 13thJanuary 1807 from whom , the mission of the Sisters of Charity radiated to the world. Bartolomea was chosen by God to shine brilliantly in the midst of the moral and social chaos that characterised the beginning of the 18th century, So deeply affected by the inroads of the French Revolution and the corrupting influence of Jansenism.
Bartholomea grew up amidst sad scenes of pain and terror of an Italy over run by German, Polish and French troops, the witness of pillage, robbery , shooting and killing that left large numbers of abandoned children, youth in moral danger, homeless poor and sick needing immediate attention.
When young Bartholomea Capitanio returned home from boarding school of the poor Clares on the completion of her studies was no exception to this tragic situation. She had a great recurring desire to join the convent of the Clarists, a contemplative order, which would provide the atmosphere conducive to make her holiness bloom and blossom .But God had other plans for her.
Bartholomea was to be shown that God was drawing her to life of Charity. When she returned to her family, the poor unwanted wretches living subhuman lives in the streets of Lovere moved her heart to do something to save them from such abject misery. She started living her life in this world with the most sublime acts of charity bearing to the wretched dwellings of the poor words of Christian comfort, as she visited the sick , assisted the dying , gathered around her the poor abandoned children. She even penetrated the prisons in order to speak of the mercy of God to those poor souls stained with guilt and crime.
Don RusticianoBarboglio the parish priest and Don Angelo Bosio her spiritual director, gave a new direction to Bartholomea’s zeal to do good. They counselled her to take up the education of the children in the village Bartholomea in 1821encountered a companion , Catherine Gerosa , a middle aged lady of 48 years, belonging to a well –to–do family. Though different in temperament and age, both of them were fired with the same ideal of charity, of dedicating themselves totally to God, in the service of the neighbour .This ideal of doing everything possible, brought them closer together for the fulfilment of a common project of starting an institute, totally founded on charity and was founded on 21st Nov 1832. Then on the mission has continued till this day.
Philomena was a Greek princess, who was martyred at a young age. She was born into a Christian family on 10th January 291 AD . When she was barely 13, Philomena found herself, the desire of Emperor Diocletian, who was going to war with her father. As she became aware of this reality she refused. As a result she was subjected to cruel torments like scourging, drowning and shooting. However, in each attempt on her life, Philomena was protected by angels who rescued her. Eventually, Emperor Diocletian had the virgin martyred.
St. Philomena patron saint of youth, virgins and babies. She holds a lily, symbol of her purity, and an anchor, and arrows, which were used to try and kill her.
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