"My love, what can I do to make the whole world love you? Make use once again of this wretched instrument to renew the faith and conversion of sinners."
Blessed Anna Rosa Gattorno was born was Rose Maria Benedetta in Genoa, Italy to a wealthy and pious family as one of 6 children. She was baptized the day after her birthday, which was October 14, 1831. She was confirmed at age 12.
On November 5, 1852 she married Gerolamo Custo and they moved to France, but because of financial reasons, they came back to Genoa. Their oldest children was deaf due to an illness and then her husband died on March 9, 1858 and Rose Maria was a widow and with three children. Then the youngest died a few months later.
A lot people with having so many hardships in their lives and so close to each other, would have lost their faith and become angry with God, but Rose Maria was different. She thought of them as a lesson and they knew they happened for a reason and it was the beginning of a religious vocation for her. She took her pain and turned it to joy. She continued to care for her children, but she took a private vow of chastity and obedience in 1858, and then a vow of poverty in 1861 and became a Franciscan tertiary.
She wanted to live a life of solitude, but Catholic associations in Genoa began asking for her help. While working on the revised Rule for the Pious Union of the New Ursuline Daughters of Holy Mary Immaculate, she received a call to form her own congregation. She was encouraged by many people including the Archbishop of Genoa, but she worried that this would take her away from her children. So she went to Pope Pius IX around January 3, 1866 thinking he would discourage her from the idea, but instead he told her to begin work immediately.
So on December 8, 1866, with Father Giovannio Battista Tornatore, she co-founded the Institute of the Daughters of Saint Anne, Mother of Mary Immaculate to work with the poor and sick. She took her habit on July 26, 1867 and on April 8, 1870 she and 12 sisters made their solemn profession and it was here when she took the name Anna Rosa. The Institute received official approval in 1879 and the Rule was approved in 1892.
By the time of her death from influenza, on May 6, 1900, there were 368 houses in Italy, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and Eritrea (in Africa). They built schools and had 3,500 sisters and worked to minster to the deaf. Today they are affiliated with the Movement of Hope, the Contemplative Order of the Daughters of Saint Anne, and the Sons of Saint Anne. She had a special devotion to Saint Anne and the Blessed Mother. Blessed Anna Rosa was declared blessed by Pope John Paul II on April 9, 2000.
I really liked reading and learning Blessed Anna Rosa's story of how she took many tragedies in her life and turned them around to fulfill God's Plan. Her life reminds me of something my spiritual director and I were talking about a few weeks ago...turning the sorrow into joy. Blessed Anna Rosa is a model of how to do that!
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