15 November

BLESSED MADDALENA MORANO
Virgin

For the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, Memorial

Born at Chieri, Turin, on 15 November 1847, Maddalena Caterina Morano began from her youth a teaching career among local children, which was to last for the rest of her life, especially after obtaining her teacher’s qualification. When she was nearly 30 years of age, and rich in educational and catechetical experience, she was able to realize a desire she had had since her first communion — to lead a consecrated life. In 1879 she was professed as a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, and asked the Lord for the “grace to remain alive until she had attained sanctity”.

In 1881 she was sent to Sicily, and there she began a flourishing work of education among the girls and young women of the poor and working classes. With “one eye on earth but ten constantly on heaven”, she opened schools, oratories, hostels and workshops in every part of the island. After being appointed Provincial she also assumed the task of the formation of the numerous new vocations attracted by her zeal and the community atmosphere she created around her. Her many-sided apostolate was highly esteemed and encouraged by the Bishops, who entrusted to her evangelical enterprise the organization of the teaching of catechism throughout Sicily.

Laid low by a malignant tumor, Sister Morano died at Catania on 26 March 1908, thus closing a completely coherent life, lived always with the intention of “never letting personal desires be an obstacle to the action of grace”. In the same city John Paul II proclaimed her Blessed on 5 November 1994.

From the Common of Women Saints: for Educators, with psalms of the day as in the psalter, except for the following:

Office of Readings

SECOND READING

From the Encyclical Redemptoris missio of John Paul II (nn.86-87).

Live in complete docility to the Spirit

If we look at today’s world, we are struck by many negative factors that can lead to pessimism. But this feeling is unjustified: we have faith in God our Father and Lord, in his goodness and mercy. As the third Millennium of the Redemption draws near, God is preparing a great springtime for Christianity, and we can already see its first signs. In fact, both in the non- Christian world and in the traditionally Christian world, people are gradually drawing closer to Gospel ideals and values, a development which the Church seeks to encourage. Today in fact there is a new consensus among peoples about these values: the rejection of violence and war; respect for the human person and for human rights; the desire for freedom, justice and brotherhood; the surmounting of different forms of racism and nationalism; the affirmation of the dignity and role of women.

Christian hope sustains us in committing ourselves fully to the new evangelization and to the worldwide mission, and leads us to pray as Jesus taught us: “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10).

The spirituality of the apostle is expressed first of all by a life of complete docility to the Spirit. It commits us to being molded from within by the Spirit, so that we may become ever more like Christ. It is not possible to bear witness to Christ without reflecting his image, which is made alive in us by grace and the power of the Spirit. This docility then commits us to receive the gifts of fortitude and discernment, which are essential elements of missionary spirituality.

An example of this is found with the Apostles during the Master’s public life. Despite their love for him and their generous response to his call, they proved to be incapable of understanding his words and reluctant to follow him along the path of suffering and humiliation. The Spirit transformed them into courageous witnesses to Christ and enlightened heralds of his word. It was the Spirit himself who guided them along the difficult and new paths of mission.

Today, as in the past, that mission is difficult and complex, and demands the courage and light of the Spirit. We often experience the dramatic situation of the first Christian community, which witnessed unbelieving and hostile forces “gathered together against the Lord and his Anointed” (Acts 4,26). Now, as then, we must pray that God will grant us boldness in preaching the Gospel; we must ponder the mysterious ways of the Spirit and allow ourselves to be led by him into all the truth (cf. Jn 16,13).

RESPONSORY cf. Prov 31,17.18; Ps 45,6

This is the perfect woman, clothed with God’s strength; * her lamp is not extinguished in the night.
God sustains her with the light of his countenance: she shall not be moved. Her lamp…

Or:

SECOND READING

From an address of Pope John Paul II, 5 November 1994.

Tireless activity in doing good to others

“I am the true vine” (Jn 15,1). Through this allegory proposed on the eve of the paschal events, Jesus fully reveals the mystery of the life that is within him. The same mystery is revealed as a source of immortal life for the Servant of God Maddalena Morano.

Today she bears witness also to you, who are called by circumstances to serve this city’s rebirth, mobilizing the energies which the Lord constantly renews in you, through tireless activity at the service of good.

Sr Maddalena Morano worked with precisely this in mind! She, the “born teacher”, had come from Turin, the city of Don Bosco, with her outstanding pedagogic al talent and her love for God and neighbor. In Sicily, Sr Maddalena carried out an intense and fruitful spiritual and educational activity for the benefit of your people. For long years she made herself one of you, becoming the model of faithful service to God and to her brothers and sisters. Look to her, beloved faithful, the better to carry out that apostolic and missionary project which all the members of the Church in Catania are striving to promote, as they listen to the voice of the Spirit and concentrate their efforts on a diligent discernment of the “signs of the times”.

Discouragement and bitterness due to disturbing and overwhelming events are understandable human feelings but they should not quell Christian courage in doing good, “cost what it may”, as Mother and now Blessed Maddalena Morano used to say.

In our era characterized by a tragic crisis of human value’s and a painful anxiety for the Absolute, you are asked to carry out a serious and demanding programme of doctrinal study, of consistent life-style and perseverance in the exercise of charity.

May Mother Morano be an inspiration to you. Motivated by a deep yearning for love and holiness, for many years she trod the streets of your city and region, serene and fearless. The teaching and examples of St John Bosco and St Maria Domenica Mazzarello sustained her in her task. Looking at the sea she would say: “Do you see how vast, how immense the sea is? God’s bounty is greater by far!”. And with a simple but incisive example she would illustrate the way to holiness: “You climb the high mountain of perfection with constant mortification. Even the tallest houses are made of small stones, piled one upon the other”.

Her exhortations enlighten, comfort and encourage: “Think as Jesus would have thought. Pray as Jesus would have prayed. Act as Jesus would have acted”. This is what Mother Maddalena used to say and this is how she lived, repeating to herself: “Ask for the grace to bear your cross peacefully every day”.

Our sister, Blessed Maddalena Morano, dwells in God and God dwells in her forever. “With age-old love I have loved you”, the Lord declared through the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah (3 1,3). The new Blessed experienced in herself the truth of these divine words, and after the trials of her life now witnesses the fulfillment of God’s promise to his people: “They departed in tears, but I will console them and guide them, I will lead them to streams of water on a level road, so that none shall stumble. For I am a father to Israel” (3 1:9).

Blessed Maddalena Morano, through her great love has thus become a constant witness of fidelity to God who is Love. She is resplendent before us today as a shining example of active solidarity. And now she intercedes for us, she intercedes for the Church. Great is the power of the saints’ intercession! Maddalena did God’s will and bequeathed to us the witness of works pleasing to God.

RESPONSORY Eph 5,8-9; Mt 5,14.16

You are light in the Lord; walk as children of light. * for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true.
You are the light of the world: let your light so shine before men: for the fruit...

Concluding prayer as at Morning Prayer.

Morning Prayer

INTERCESSIONS

Let us invoke God our Father, the source and model of all holiness, and let us say with confidence:

Make us holy as you are holy.

You solidly established Blessed Maddalena Morano on the living rock of your word:
— grant that we may accept with faith and courageously proclaim the gospel of salvation.

You endowed her with wonderful gifts of faith and pastoral charity:

— enable us too to be among young people as true educators and attentive servants of your plan of salvation.

You gave to Blessed Maddalena the grace to follow Christ on the way of poverty, chastity and obedience:
— help us to respond to your call to be always at the service of others.

You granted her to combine tireless activity with a burning love for your Son present in the eucharistic mystery:
— give your support to evangelizers and catechists that they may bear witness by their lives to what they proclaim by their words.

You enriched her with incomparable talents for government and practical concern for the problems of the time:
— grant that the Salesian Family, under the guidance of Mary Help of Christians, may continue to embody the educative charism of the Founders.

Our Father.

PRAYER

Father, you planted in the heart of the virgin, Blessed Maddalena Morano, your word of truth which prompt ed her to dedicate herself with constancy and wisdom to the education of the young: grant that through her intercession and following her example we may be docile to the action of the Spirit in fulfilling with joy your loving design. We make our prayer through your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

Evening Prayer

INTERCESSIONS

United in our evening prayer, let us make our thanksgiving and supplications to God our Father, and let us say:

God of all goodness hear our prayer.

In Blessed Maddalena Morano you have given us a model of life and educative wisdom:
— grant that in our mission we too may be always docile to the action of your Spirit.

You enabled her to bear witness to the joy of serving you, in the strong and willing acceptance of the cross:
— give to us the Christian optimism that springs from faith in your resurrection.

She placed the love of your Son before any other thought or project:
— may our whole life be lived out under the gaze of the divine Master.

You looked upon her to enable her to fulfill your work:
— fill us with the strength of your Spirit that we may bear fruit that will remain.

She was a wise and faithful administrator who was found watching when the bridegroom came:
— grant that the faithful departed may enjoy the splendor of your countenance.

Our Father.

Concluding prayer as at Morning Prayer.