 |
| Santa Giovanna Antida Thouret, ora pro nobis |
Born on November 27, 1765 in Sancey-le-Long, France, Santa Giovanna Antida was drawn to an austere religious life and entered the Vincentian Daughters of Charity at the age of 22.
When the sisters were banned during the anti-religious repression of the French Revolution, she refused to renounce her vows and was severely beaten by the authorities.
Forced into exile, Santa Giovanna Antida and a handful of religious fled to Switzerland, but due to anti-Catholic intolerance they moved on to the Kingdom of Prussia.
When the persecution subsided, she returned to France in 1797 and founded a school for poor girls. Soon after, with the support of Napoleon’s mother, Letizia Ramolino, she founded the Sisters of Charity in Besançon.
Despite papal recognition, the Archbishop of Besançon refused to approve the order, so in 1810 Santa Giovanna Antida and seven sisters moved south to the Kingdom of Naples and continued their charitable and apostolic works, caring for the sick, poor and infirm at the Hospital of the Incurable.
She died in Naples on August 24, 1826 and is interred at the Chiesa di Santa Maria Regina Coeli.
In celebration, I’m posting a prayer in Italian to Saint Jeanne-Antide Thouret. The accompanying photo was taken at the Reale Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro inside the Duomo di Napoli. Evviva Santa Giovanna Antida Thouret!
Prayer to Saint Jeanne-Antide Thouret
O Santissima Trinità, che regni in cielo, noi ti ringraziamo dei doni e delle grazie che hai concesse alla gloriosa Madre Santa Giovanna Antida, e ti preghiamo, per sua intercessione, di concederci la grazia che ti domandiamo. Concedici ancora di imitate le virtu di questa tua Serva fedele, la quale visse amando Te e beneficando il prossimo, e di fare nostra la preghiera che Ella ti indirizzava nei pericoli e nelle avversità della travagliata sua vita; Signore, tu vedi tutto, tu puoi tutto; io spero nella tua bonità e nella tua potenza; i tuoi voleri si compiano su di me per la mia santificazione. Amen.
