Saint Maria Mazzarello

Biography

Saint Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello, also known as Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello, Benedikta Frassinello, and Benedetta Cambiagio, was born on 2 October 1791 in Langasco, Campomorone, Italy. She was the daughter of Giuseppe and Francesca Cambiagio and grew up in Pavia, Italy. At the age of 20, Benedicta had a profound mystical experience that deeply impacted her life. This experience ignited within her a strong devotion to prayer and a desire to live a religious life. However, despite her own aspirations, she decided to follow her family's wishes and married Giovanni Battista Frassinello on 7 February 1816. Initially, Benedicta and Giovanni had a normal married life for two years. However, Giovanni, impressed by Benedicta's holiness and her longing for a religious vocation, agreed to live continently. Together, they dedicated themselves to a life of chastity and sought to serve God in their daily lives. Their devotion to each other and their faith was evident in their care for Benedicta's younger sister, Maria. The couple lovingly took care of Maria until her unfortunate death from intestinal cancer in 1825. Following Maria's passing, Giovanni felt a calling to join the Somaschan Fathers, and Benedicta, recognizing her own deep desire for religious life, became an Ursuline nun. Unfortunately, due to deteriorating health, Benedicta had to return home to Pavia in 1826. Back in Pavia, she began working with young women in the area, a venture that quickly gained success. Recognizing Benedicta's incredible impact, her husband, Giovanni, was also assigned to assist her in this work. Under their guidance, the schools flourished, and Benedicta was eventually appointed as the Promoter of Public Instruction in Pavia. However, despite the purity of their intentions and their dedication to a chaste life, Benedicta and Giovanni's unique relationship faced criticism and gossip from both civil and Church authorities. To avoid causing any further hindrance to their important work, Benedicta decided to withdraw into a more secluded life. In 1838, Benedicta handed over her educational work to the bishop of Pavia and retreated to Ronco Scrivia, Italy, to live as a nun. Refusing to completely withdraw from the world, Benedicta found new beginnings alongside five companions. Together, they founded the Congregation of the Benedictine Sisters of Providence, with a primary focus on teaching. Benedicta opened another school, dedicating herself to the education and spiritual growth of young women. Living a solitary life, away from the prying eyes of authorities, Benedicta was able to carry out her mission without any interruptions. She spent her remaining years in prayer and service, serving as a source of inspiration and guidance for the community she had established. Saint Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello died on 21 March 1858 at Ronco Scrivia, Italy, from natural causes. Her remarkable virtue and extraordinary life continue to inspire and uplift others, leading to her veneration on 6 July 1985, with a decree of heroic virtues by Pope John Paul II. She was later beatified on 10 May 1987, and finally canonized as a saint on 19 May 2002 in Rome, Italy, by Pope John Paul II. Saint Benedicta Cambiagio Frassinello's legacy lives on as she is considered the patron saint of the Benedictine Sisters of Providence, an order that she herself founded. Her unwavering dedication to prayer, education, and service continues to impact the lives of many who follow in her footsteps.