Religious Teacher Filippini

Pontifical Institute of the Religious Teachers Filippini –  Sister Mary Zita Domenica, M.P.F.                                                               Sister of St. Lucy Filippini                                                                                                                             Istituto Maestre Pie Filippini                                                                                                                                            †                                                                                                                                                                  J MJL                                                                                                      “Euntes Docete Verbum Domini”  –  “Go and Teach the Word of the Lord”                                                                                                                                                                                                                   “Those who are learned will be as radiant as the sky in all its beauty;                                              those who teach will shine like the stars for all eternity.”    –    Daniel 12:3                               †  Founded to promote the Christian education of youth, the dignity of every person,                                  especially of girls and young women, and a healthy family life.  †

Founders:  Saint Lucy (Lucia) Filippini                                                                                                                       Venerable Cardinal Marcantonio Barbarigo – (the great-uncle of Pope Clement XIII)                   His personal motto was: “Funda Nos in Pace” –  “Establish Us in Peace”                                       * interesting fact:  Cardinal Barbarigo designed the habit for St. Lucy and her Order *

Place:  Montefiascone, (Viterbo) Italy

Year:  1692 A.D.

Her Charism:  Immersed in the life of the Trinity through Baptism, this Sister’s love for the poor and illiterate knows no bounds.  To obtain this perfection of charity, she consecrates her life totally to God in Christ by her Oblation – a sacred bond and vow to be a witness to Jesus, the chaste, poor, and obedient One Who is visible in the midst of the world.  This Sister is a disciple of the Word, absorbed by the contemplation of the Cross, transformed into the Eucharist, faithful to the Church, a prophetic and hope-filled woman of our time, a light that shines in the darkness of our days, and a guide to the joyful announcement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  She exudes a sense of “family” among her other Sisters in the Community and a generous, ardent, and profound sense of mission.  Through her love of Christ the Teacher, her charisms of graced teaching (awareness, intuition, wisdom, and compassion) and contemplation open new horizons for women by challenging them to recognize their dignity, self-worth, potential, and the dynamic and essential role they play in creating strong families, and therefore, a strong society.  She provides both moral and human reforms to society through educating women in faith and charity, domestic arts, developing a Christian conscience through doctrine, and encouraging the practice of virtue in the home. (reading and writing for the poor during St. Lucy’s time was considered a revolutionary innovation; and sadly is still the case in some places today).  Teaching the young the ways of Christ – His industry and His labors – is her ideal instrument to transmit Catholic culture, values, and tradition (particularly among Italian immigrants back in the day).  Firmly believing that everything can fail; but not God’s tenderness, this Sister lives a life motivated by Divine Love, and, in turn, experiences heaven on earth through Christian living and value-centered education – an integration of both contemplation and service.                                                        C –  courtesy and compassion to all;                                                                                                      H –  hospitality for all;                                                                                                                                  A –  appreciation for every person’s gifts and dignity;                                                                          R –  her relationship with Jesus;                                                                                                                 I –  ingenuity and integrity in the face of difficulty;                                                                                S –  her love for Scripture;                                                                                                                          M –  is for her love of Mary and mission.                                                                                                For this Filippini Sister, the Church is not a restful garden, but a working vineyard.  In the classroom of life, she doesn’t teach what she knows, but who she is.  ♥                                          *One can still find St. Lucy’s imprint of goodness, meekness, and fervor in New Jersey          which will live on through a spiritual dimension in the Mystical Body of the Church.  Through her consecration to unconditional spousal love, this Sister becomes a “living memory of Jesus’ way of being and acting” and transforms her into a sign of God’s love for all humanity.*