Vincenza Gerosa
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Saint Vincenza Gerosa |
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Painting.
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| Born | 29 October 1784 Lovere, Bergamo, Duchy of Milan |
| Died | 29 June 1847 (aged 62) Lovere, Bergamo, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 30 May 1926, Saint Peter's Basilica, Kingdom of Italy by Pope Pius XI |
| Canonized | 18 May 1950, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City by Pope Pius XII |
| Feast |
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| Attributes | Religious habit |
| Patronage | Sisters of Charity of Lovere |
Saint Vincenza Gerosa (29 October 1784 – 29 June 1847) - born Caterina Gerosa - was an Italian Roman Catholic professed religious and the co-foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Lovere that she founded alongside Saint Bartolomea Capitanio. Gerosa met Capitanio in 1824 and the two consecrated themselves to God in the name of educating children and tending to the poor of the Bergamo area.
Gerosa's canonization cause started under Pope Pius X on 4 December 1906 and Pope Pius XI later named her as Venerable in 1927. Gerosa was beatified under Pius XI in 1926 - alongside Capitanio - and Pope Pius XII later canonized the pair as saints in 1950.
Caterina Gerosa was born in Lovere on 29 October 1784 to Gianantonio Gerosa and Giacomina Macario as the first of four children - all girls including Francesca who died around the same time as her father. Her mother died in 1814.
Gerosa was often reserved as a child and began her education under the instruction of the Benedictines at Gandino but her poor health prevented her from continuing her studies. This prompted her to leave and return to Lovere where she spent time at the counter of the store her parents managed. Gerosa lost her relations in rapid succession and was left alone to manage the business; she prayed used her inheritance to provide charitable works in the area and became active in her local parish. Gerosa organized a women's group with meetings and spiritual retreats and even founded a practical school to teach poor girls of the area domestic work so as to improve their situation in life. She liked to tend to the grapevines for making wine and loved the idea that the grapes would go towards the sacramental wine used as part of the Eucharistic rite as the Blood of Christ.
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