Giuseppina Gabriela Bonino

Giuseppina Gabriella Bonino (also Josefine Gabriela, born September 5, 1843 in Savigliano, Italy, † February 8, 1906 in Savona) was an Italian nun and foundress of the Congregation " Sisters of the Holy Family of Savigliano ". She was beatified on May 7, 1995, Pope John Paul II and was nicknamed 'the saint of the family ".

Life

Her parents were the doctor Domenico Bonino and Giuseppina Ricci. A day after her birth, she was baptized in the name of Anna Maria Magdalena Josefina. Giuseppina ( Josephine dt ) was the only child and grew up in a wealthy and religious family. Early on, fell on her good intelligence, they came in 1857 in the primary school and was conspicuous by its great eagerness. The director encouraged Giuseppina and led her already, instead of ten years, in the seventh year for the First Holy Communion. This first school in a religious education institution would shape their lives, they have already developed early a high devotion to Mary.

As Giuseppina was twelve years old, she moved with her family to Turin in 1855 and attended the University of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. At the age of 18 years, she passed a temporary vows and made a commitment to virginity. During this time, used and cared for her ailing father she until his death on 16 January 1874., You also took over pastoral and pastoral tasks in their local parish and developed a desire to join a religious community.

On March 18, 1875 she appeared as Sister Gabriella into the Third Order of the Carmelites and graduated in 1876 also the Third Order of St.. Francis ( penitents ) to. On March 19, 1877 passed the eternal vows. In the same year she traveled, after having overcome a disease, together with her ​​mother, who died shortly after returning to Lourdes to give thanks to the Virgin Mary. Here she received the inspiration to put their lives in the service of the poor.

Founding of the order

Since 1875 she worked at the factory in Colombo Savigliano, which had been founded by Johanna Colombo. She took care of this social institution for orphans and built with the support of canon Luigi Da Vicino another home for poor children orphans. This home was called the " Holy Family ", because Giuseppina was of the opinion that the family is the primordial cell of society constituted. Quickly, this house designed as a haven for socially unsuccessful children who were left out by public institutions. In 1880 she was preparing, by means of some monastery stays, to their founding of the order before. The guided by her sisters should ask at the service of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The new congregation took the name "Sisters of the Holy Family ", which members praised

, " With diligence and with humility for God's glory and the salvation of souls exercise the work of charity in humility. "

In April 1881 Giuseppina Gabriella Bonino took over the office of Superior, which she held until her death. On September 8, 1887, the Diocesan Bishop of Turin, the Congregation gave the canonically - diocesan approval. On October 6, 1887, took over together with eleven sisters the new habit and put under the name Gabriela Josefina of Jesus professed from.

Spirituality

1877 ill Giuseppina on a spinal cord tumor, which could be her away without anesthesia. Here began her spiritual life and she went out of gratitude to Lourdes. In this place they want to receive by the Holy Mother of God, the inspiration, the charity have to undertake. Giuseppina had worshiped as a little girl, the mother of God, and now sought a life in the sense of the Holy Family to. To strengthen their spiritual feelings she held several times on pilgrimage in Loreto. She spent at the Loreto sisters, about four years and also built there an orphanage to their liking. Here in Loreto they drew from the hope and faith in the honor of God's new powers. After their will should all that good will are experiencing the warmth and family atmosphere. Their task was characterized by the spirit of sacrifice and absolute dedication to the service of the poorest.

Death and beatification

Your poor health led in the early days of life to some physical impairments. On February 8, 1906, she died in Savona at the age of 62 years of pneumonia. In her will she expressed as her dearest wish:

"I bequeath my soul to the Lord with the request that he include them in his mercy, and for that I invoke the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St.. Joseph, the Archangel Gabriel, St.. Anna, of St.. Francis of Assisi, St.. Theresa, my guardian angel and the whole heavenly host. "

First, she was buried in the city cemetery of Savigliano and on 8 April 1961, her body in the chapel of the mother house of the woman she founded the Order.

On March 26, 1994 Gabriela Josefina Bonino was raised to the Venerable Servant of God and beatified on May 7, 1995 by Pope John Paul II.