Beatificazione Maria Pia Mastena

Roma 13 Novembre 2005

The Venerable Maid of God Maria Pia Mastena was born in Bovolone province of Verona on December 7, 1881. Soon in her the call of the religious life presented. She asked to enter to the convent at 14 year-old, but she was approved only in 1901 as applicant in the institute of the Sisters of the Mercy in Verona. She dressed the religious suit on September 29, 1902 and on October 24, 1903 she effected the religious votes and the name of Sister Passitea of Jesus Bambino was imposed.

She developed the assignment of teacher in different places of Veneto, she spent 19 years in Miane as prelatess of the community and teacher of elementary school, also devoting herself to an intense apostolate among the pupils of every age, ill and unable.

She remained up to 1927, faithful to her assignments of religious, very active in the teaching, in the activities of the parish and in the Catholic Associations. With the authorization of her Superiors and the «nulla osta» of the Holy See, entered on April 15, 1927 in the monastery Cistercense of Veglie, to favor her contemplative gasp.

On November 15, 1927 encouraged by the Bishop of Vittorio Veneto, she went out of the Monastery, taken back the teaching and passed to the institution of a new Congregation denominated «Religiose del Santo Volto» Mother Maria Pia Mastena suddenly extinguished in Rome on June 28, 1951 and buried in the cemetery of Verano. Declared venerable on July 5, 2002 from John Paul II, she has been beatified on November 13, 2005 under the pontificate of Benedict XVI.